The wild card
by MrSvekke
Summary: Every good team has a leader, a brainiac and a brawler. But to become perfect you need to add some unpredictability, with a name as Samantha Steele half of the work is already done.
1. Chapter 1: A Loud Approach

The waves were crashing against the side of the ship in a mesmerizing way. She let out a sigh, looking out over the calm sea. They would be passing the Isle of wrath any moment now. Besides its name, it was one of the most beautiful islands in the welsh triangle.

"Samantha there you are." a stoic voice interrupted her train of thought. The source came from an eagle wearing a butler suit."I have been looking all over the ship for you, the dinner is going to start any minute now. And Lord Huntington has been very eager to meet you."

She gave a sad smile to the man. "Good evening to you too, Seb." Turning back around to look at the island.

Sebastian moved to lean next to her. "If you want I could tell Mr. Huntington, that you have the cramps and can't leave the bathroom." The remark got him an elbow strike in his gut.

"Okay, I understand the hints. I will just say that your heart was stolen by an international thief with a heart of gold." This got a snort out of the girl.

"That's better so now tell me what's the problem." Putting a wing around her shoulder in the process.

Moving closer to him, she caught the smell of home. "Nothing, just thinking about the company." Knocking her glass of champagne into the sea in the process.

Sebastian didn't leave it like this, "You know, you can tell me anything."

This is one of the things she appreciated about him, he was always there for her, even when her parents weren't there for her. "I think I am going to sell the shares to my uncle."

"Are you sure, about this Samantha, your father was never really of fan of the man. This would make him majority shareholder."

"I can't keep it up like this, I am just tired." She already felt a headache coming up again, thinking about all the paperwork would waiting when she returned to the mainland.

"I know it's hard but can't you try to keep it up." Seb started his counter offense. "The company has been revitalized since you took over."

No reaction came from her, he had still one argument, it was going to work or backfire in his face. "Even if you don't want to do it for the company, do it for your mother."

Her whole body language changed, he could see how all her muscles started to tense up just at the mention of her mother. It was always a touchy subject. "You know how much she loved the company."

It was a known fact that Elizabeth Steele loved the company even stating in an interview she considered it her second favorite child. Steele transportations started as a little package delivery company but soon grew to one of the biggest transportation companies in the world by the combined strength of her father's analytic thinking and shark-like mentality and her mother's ability to think out of the box and her more outgoing personality.

"I'll think about it." A small smile appeared on his face satisfied with the answer, only to be replaced by a scowl.

She turned around to be greeted by a burly black, with grey streaks, haired wolf. "Hello, uncle, what are you doing here?" She asked cordially.

His crystal blue eyes looked her up and down. "I was coming to get you, the captain wants everyone inside, It looks we are going to go through a storm." He turned around back to the entrance of the ship. Edward and she used to be thick as thieves, but since the death of her parents, he had become more distant trying to push her away. Committing his life more to the company she only saw him during shareholder meetings and business trips and even then he only talked to her about the most necessary things.

"Sam, are you coming?" Sebastian already went inside leaving them alone. Opening the door he stepped inside, taking one look back at the sea seeing the dark clouds forming above the water, she followed him.

Even before she was inside she already heard the shrieky voice of Huntington. "Oh, lady Steele there you are, finally someone who is capable of intelligent speech instead of these plebs."

Sebastian positioned himself between her and the door preventing her from taking her chances with the storm instead of spending her evening with the slimy, weasel that was Huntington.

And it was as worse as she thought. The man went on and on about how amazing he was. "And on my 18th birthday, I finally started my own company, with only a small starting sum of 10 million dollars so you could say I am a self-made man."

She smiled and nodded, at him, before turning around and downing a whole wine glass. 'This night couldn't become worse.'

The thought had just popped into her mind when suddenly the whole boat started to flip to one side. Enough force to throw all passengers from their chairs but not enough to flip the boat upside down.

Tables were flipped over, the food was spread over the floor and a toupet was going down a stream of spilled wine with a panicking Huntington going after it. At the other side of the room, she saw Sebastian looking around. Once he saw her, a look of relief appeared on his face. He started to make his way to her when the alarm went off indicating that the passengers needed to make their way to the life-saving boats. In the panic, she lost sight of him and was dragged outside unable to move in his direction.

'Everything will be fine I just need to make it to the lifeboats, and then I will make it to safety. Sebastian will arrange some hot choco and we will all laugh it away' She started moving to the boats keeping her head calm.

In the middle of the stream of people, she saw a little rhino boy crying. Without thinking she took the boy in her arms and continued following the horde.

"Samantha" She looked up to see that Sebastian had saved a space on a lifeboat for her. Making her way to him she pushed the little boy into his arms. "Make sure you find his parents."

He put the boy next to him and started to leave the boat. "You take my place, I will take the next boat."

She pushed him back. "No time, I will take another one." Suddenly thinking about it she hadn't seen her uncle since the party.

"Have you seen my uncle anywhere?"

"The last I saw him, he was running in the direction of the cabins," Seb screamed above the combined noise of the storm and the panicking passengers.

"I'll go find him." She couldn't leave the man alone, to conquer the sinking ship.

Before Sebastian could protest the boat started to descend to the wild waters below. She gave him a smile and decided to go in the direction of the cabins.

'I hope whatever that old bastard needed in his room, is worth it.' She internally cursed trying to fight the stronger becoming winds. When suddenly another wave made her stumble back inside. Knocking her head against the wall making the world spin even more.

'I need to get out of here, this is getting too dangerous even for my taste.' Heaving herself up at the door, just in time to see an even bigger wave coming her way. With no other option, she slammed the door closed and made her way to the room at the end of the hall.

'What do I do, What do I do, What do I do.' Really freaking out now she looked around the room, seeing that she had arrived in the kitchen of the ship. With her eye falling on the fridge. In a last desperate attempt to survive she starting emptying the fridge and moved inside, closing it just in time, to feel the boat turning around. Her improvised lifeboat was holding up but the space was too small, she felt like a lobster in a boiling pot. She positioned herself to prevent herse from hitting the sides too much.

The waves kept bashing against the ship. Tiring out of keeping herself steady she slipped a little with a result that the next hit made her head bash against the back of the fridge. 'When I survive this, my uncle is going to pay for this.' was her last thought before she embraced the darkness.

"Ahoy, dock hands!" A booming voice made her return to the land of the living. Looking around she realized she was still in the fridge. Who for some miraculous reason had survived the ordeal 'Who says that movies are unrealistic'

"Capital job unloading that cargo last night." Now if only that idiot would stop screaming and everything would be perfect.

'Now how do I get out of here.' pushing the fridge door indicated that it was blocked by something. 'Of course, It couldn't be too easy.' putting her feet against she started putting more force against the door. This time it went a little bit further but still not enough to escape.

'Fine desperate times call for desperate measures.' positioning her back against the back wall she readied herself for her next move.

"HELP ME, I AM STUCK HERE, SOMEONE GET ME OUT." she started banging her fists against the door in the hopes of someone finding her. Not caring who it was she just wanted to get out, It felt like the walls were starting to move towards her. 'This is not good'. "LET ME OUT"

"Keep calm I am coming." She heard a voice on the other side of the door. The breaking of a wooden plank and some grunting later she heard the door click open.

The incoming light blinded her, after sitting for who knows how long in a cramped little box. Putting her hands in front of her eyes she tried to get a good look at her rescuer.

Regaining her vision she saw that he was offering his hand to help her out. Wanting to get out of the fridge as fast as possible she accepted his help. With surprising strength he pulled her up, to come face to face with a blue dressed raccoon. "Are you alright miss."


	2. Chapter 2: The Gunboat Graveyard

Reviews:

MadameMirage77: Yes it's set during the first game. Normally the story is going to take place over at least the three first games. A description of her appearance you get this chapter. Carmelita is not going to like it that's for sure. Thanks for the review :)

"Ahoy, dock hands!" Boomed the voice of his next target, Sir Raleigh, over the intercom system running through his massive ship. At the moment Sly Cooper was making his way through the remnants of Raleigh's new hobby. The whole room was littered with wrecks of the ships and planes hit by the frog's storm machine.

"Sly, Have you reached the vault."

"Calm down Bentley we got the whole night left."

"Maybe you like the humid, hot weather, but some of us have problems breathing in this weather." the nasal voice on the other side of his binocucom.

"Don't worry, I just need to get the last key, gain access to his blimp, steal the page back and we can all leave this place."

"Just hurry, I think Murray is getting agitated that there is no fast food place on the island. Hear this."

It sounded like an animal was dying on the other side. "I got it, I am on my way." Closing the binocucom, he continued his way through the debris. It looked like Raleigh was collection the wrecks like some sort trophies.

'Some people got too much time on their hands.' He made his way to the key snatching the contents of a nearby vault in the progress.

"I got the key, I am coming back." He started making his way back through the debris to the exit.

*thud* *thud* *thud*

A sound made him stop. He started twitching his ear trying to hear it again. But nothing happened. 'Propably the wind'

*thud* *thud* *thud*

There it was again, It looks like it came from a nearby hull of a cruise ship. Bentley would probably chew him out, and that was exactly why he was making his way to the ship.

Gaining access by one of the portholes in the side of the ship. He arrived in the kitchen or what was left of it. The whole ship was positioned diagonally with all kitchen applications in the room laying on one side of the room.

*thud* "LET ME OUT" *thud* The sounds were coming from a fridge lodged between the wall and a wooden table.

"Keep calm I am coming." He brought down his trusty cane breaking the table in the middle. Removing the pieces he opened the fridge.

To his surprise, inside there was a female light grey-furred wolf inside. She was wearing what used to be a black ballroom dress. Her hair was shoulder length in the same color as her fur.

As the gentleman he was he extended his arm to help her out. Taking a hold of her hand he dragged her out. Coming eye to eye with crystal blue eye.

"Where am I?" The wolf pushed him away looking questionable. "And who are you?"

"Dave, Did you hear that?" A voice came from outside.

"I didn't hear anything, you are too jumpy since that raccoon got access to the ship."

If he was alone he could have just hidden in the shadows and sneak by them. But the gentleman he was he couldn't leave the damsel in distress alone. Now if she would work with him everything would be fine.

He indicated that she needed to be quiet. "Why are you holding your finger in front of your mouth?"

"I tell you someone is on that ship."

"If we go check it out will you be quiet" The voices started coming closer. If this took too long the whole ship would be down on to them in a second.

"Be quiet, we need to get out of here" he whispered to try to calm down the confused girl. He grabbed her arm trying to get her to come with him.

With surprising ease, she pulled herself free from his grip. "Why should I trust you? You won't even say your name" She whispered.

"We don't have time for this, just follow me." He grabbed her again, which again she pulled herself free.

"If you don't tell me where we are and what is happening, I am going to take my chances with the guys outside. Maybe they will be more helpful."

Getting irritated by the girl, he decided to take more drastic measures. Whipping up his cane he intended to knock her out. But she surprised him by catching the cane mid-air. And if looks could kill he would be dead right now. "What do you think you are doing?"

Keeping the cane in place she retaliated by putting her knee in his gut. Leaving him on the ground clutching his stomach she made her way to the porthole he entered in. Only to be blocked by two walrusses.

"Well, well what do we have here." The one she assumed was Dave said.

"See Jack, I told you I heard something."

Both of them grinned at her "The boss is going to like this. If she is important enough we can ask a ransom for her."

Dave grabbed her arm intending to drag her to Raleigh. The next moment he was flying through the air landing on his back. Before Jack could react he felt a fist connecting with his face knocking him out.

Being busy with both her victims she didn't see the cane behind her knocking her out.

"Bothersome women, why couldn't she just follow my instructions" He shook his head while draping her over his shoulder. Leaving the boat and guards behind. "Bentley is going to love this."

"Why did you take her here?" Why was there so much noise?

"I couldn't leave her behind. What if Raleigh got his hands on her?" Some people didn't have any respect for people who need their sleep.

"She will only make this mission more complicated." She couldn't sleep all night because of that awful nightmare.

"It won't be any problem, we have access to the canon now. Tonight I will steal the page and we dump her somewhere onto our next target." Wait, was it a nightmare? She never had such a detailed one before.

"Fine, But what do we do with her in the meantime ." Wait who were these people?

Opening her eyes she realized she wasn't in her room in London. Pushing herself up she looked around. She was lying in a duffle bag, next to a blue van with red flames on the sides. Next to it where her "Rescuer" and a turtle arguing with each other.

"We just keep an eye on her. It's not like she can go very far." She heard the raccoon say.

"Good morning, Hope sly didn't hit you too hard." She jumped out of the bag ready to hit the owner of the booming voice only to be greeted by a smiling hippo holding a plate with a sandwich.

He pushed a plate in her hands. "I know it's not much, but you should eat something."

Surprised by the sudden appearance of the object in her hands she didn't know how to react.

The hippo plopped next to her on a log, that creaked as soon as put his weight on it. "So, my name is Murray what's yours?" He asked trying to alleviate the awkward situation.

She looked at him suspiciously, trying to find any malicious intentions in his face only to see honest curiosity. "Why should I tell you my name? For all I know you are kidnappers, trying to get a ransom out of me."

Murray looked confused for a moment. "Kidnappers? Last I checked we aren't into kidnapping."

This got a sigh of relief out of Samantha at least they wouldn't ransom her for money.

"No, we are thieves." The hippo continued full enthusiasm. This put her guard fully back up. She looked back at the smiling hippo like he never told her they were criminals.

"We are the Cooper gang, Bentley is the turtle over there, and Sly you already met."

"The Cooper gang? Never heard of it?" But maybe that wasn't a surprise she didn't really have any time to leisurely read the newspaper in the last couple of years.

She looked at him suspiciously before looking around. The coast was littered with wrecks from every kind of ship, there were even planes. "Where are we?"

"Currently, we are on the Isle of Wrath?" Murray answered

The answer surprised her, taking a second look around at the used to be a rustic island. "What happened here?"

"Someone named Raleigh has built a machine to create these storms. But don't worry Sly is here to stops this evil doer." the shy hippo stated.

He kept looking at the sandwich in her hands looking a little bit disappointed she hadn't touched it yet.

It looked like a normal sandwich with ham, cheese, and tomatoes on it. It looked harmless and she didn't think they would save her first and then poison her. She wasn't really a fan of tomatoes, too hungry to care she took a bite out of it. "This is good" She took another bite.

The hippo's face lighted up at her praise. "Good to hear you like it."

"So you are finally awake, ms. Steele." The turtle had joined them.

"How do you know my name. I never said it to one of you." Not liking how the green turtle got to know it so fast. Still not trusting the so-called Cooper gang.

"You would be surprised how much information you can find about a person on thiefnet." Bentley pushed his glasses back up. "For example, Your full name is Samatha Steele. You inherited Steele transportations, a leader in the transportation world, from your deceased parents. Two days ago you disappeared in a storm that capsized one of the cruise ships owned by your company. I traveled once with your airline it was good it only would have been better with some free peanuts."

She didn't know if she was more freaked out by all the information or that he could make a casual remark about peanuts."So what are you guy planning to do with me?"

"Once this job is done we will go our separate ways. No harm done."

"Just like that." She asked suspiciously.

"Just like that." Bentley took one look at her clothes. "I will look if I can find some spare clothes, we don't want you to get cold."

With that Bentley went back to the van. "I am sorry. This will all be over soon."

She looked up to see Murray look guilty. She gave him a small smile. "Nothing you could do about it."


	3. Chapter 3: The Eye of the Storm

Samantha sighed at the image in front of her. At the moment she was looking at her new clothes that Bentley had found. His and Murray's were too small and big respectively. So sly had given her one of his shirts and pants. Looking at herself she was wearing a blue t-shirt, gray pants, and brown hiking boots.

Returning to van she could see that sly had joined his other gang member sitting around a campfire. Not really in the mood to sit with her capturers, she found a stump a bit further away to sit on.

Sitting too far to hear what they were saying, she heard Sly murmur something getting a laugh from his friends. It reminded her of Seb, hoping he was alright. She hoped he and her uncle had survived, she wouldn't know what to do if she lost them both.

Trying to contact the outside world was pointless. Bentley was as friendly as he needed to be, but didn't do any effort to hide the fact that he didn't trust her. He made sure to hide all radios and cell phones away from her.

A stick with a couple of marshmallows appeared under her nose. "You shouldn't look so depressed Ms. Steele. You would be more beautiful if you smiled." The raccoon surprised her, she hadn't even heard him approach. "Marshmallow?"

Pushing the stick away not in the mood for the sugary substance. "Samantha"

"What?"

"My name is Samantha, not Ms. Steele."

A twinkle of mischievous appeared in his eyes. "As you wish Sam, my name is Sly as you probably already know."

"It's Samantha, not Sam. Only my friends may call me Sam."

"I like Sam better, easier to say. And I feel like we are already friends."

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO CALL ME BY THAT NAME, WE ARE NOT FRIENDS AND WE WILL NEVER BE. I JUST WANT TO GO HOME AND NEVER MEET YOU GUYS AGAIN."

Sly flinched back by the outburst, understanding he needed to back off.

She started to feel guilty at her words, but she had reached her limit. Surviving a sinking boat, sitting in a fridge for two days. And now she was shivering on an island, wearing clothes that were feeling uncomfortable with people she wouldn't trust in a million years. With no way to contact anyone or knowing if Seb had survived. Even for her, this was getting too much.

Sly gave her an apologetic look, making his way back to the campfire where Bentley and Murray were looking at them, surprised from her outburst.

"Thank you" She mumbled why setting herself back down.

Sly turned back around. "For what?"

Calmed down she looked back up. "For saving me."

Sly gave a small smile. "Don't worry about it, just an everyday job in the life of a master thief."

The rest of the evening they left her alone When the night fell Sly took off in the direction of the boat. Her curiousness taking the best of her she went to see what was going on.

Arriving at the van she saw Bentley typing away on his laptop. He was wearing headphones which she presumed were used to stay in contact with Sly who was in the field. Murray was busy carrying all their belongings back in the van. "Are you guys going to leave. "

Murray looked up while putting a crate down in the van. "Yep, Tonight the job will be done and we can leave this place."

"So what is Sly doing now"

"You can look for yourself." Bentley had joined them, pointing his finger up in the air. "You should see him any moment now."

She looked up not really sure where to look. When suddenly a cannon shot could be heard in the distance. A little speck was flying through the air crashing into the blimp that was flying above Raleigh's ship.

"Don't tell me, I think what that was."

The two men looked at her with smirks, confirming her suspicion. "The thing you want to steal from him must be really worth it."

"It is worth it, trust us. Get ready we will need to be ready to leave as fast as possible." They both moved continued filling the van with their belongings, leaving her alone looking at the hole where the raccoon had entered the blimp.

Next, the parts of the blimp started blowing up. Turning back, she saw that Bentley and Murray were also staring at the descending blimp. "Is that supposed to happen?"

"No, No this was not supposed to happen." Bentley was panicking fumbling with the headphones trying to get them on. "Sly, Do you hear me Sly?"

"Murray, we need to help him." She had never seen a hippo move with such speed.

He started the engine. The van started to move, wait were they going to leave her? Without thinking she started running after the van. Her only chance was the open side door, luckily for her, it was hard to build speed in with all the plants and rocks. Taking a leap of fate she jumped through the door. Only to be greeted by Bentley's disapproving look.

"You didn't think you were going to leave me here alone now would you."

With that Murray got on a better road and started making speed. Lucky for them the blimp was coming in their direction. "We have luck it looks like the blimp will land in the sea."

"It's better than on land, but we have another problem, Sly can't swim."

"Are you serious, what is he like 18 - 19 years old and he can't swim."

Murray stopped the van at the side of a cliff. The blimp was coming full speed their direction. She started looking around for a sign of Cooper.

"There he is." Murray pointed at a black spot exiting from the window where sly entered. It looked like he had an unconscious frog under his arm.

"What is he doing?" Bentley was breathing heavy, a combination of the heavy weather and his nervousness.

"It looks like he is going to jump." The words had just left her mouth when sly took a leap down into the dark sea below.

"What do we do, what do we do." Murray started to also freak out.

"I don't know." Bentley tried to calm himself and Murray.

"What do you mean, what do you do. Just jump in, don't say you guys also can't swim."

The deafening silence said enough. "Come on, are you both serious. Fine."

"Do you have a rope?" She started removing her boots. Murray came back with a rope which she bound around her middle.

"I am going to get him, pull us back when you feel me pulling the rope." Without hesitation, she jumped into the sea. Almost cramping up at the touch of the ice-cold water.

Fighting against the waves she made her way to where Sly jumped in. Diving down she started looking for him in the dark abyss. Almost out of air she caught a glimpse of the moon reflecting on a piece of gold, Sly's cane.

Going back up she took a breath and went after it. Arriving at the bodies of the sinking raccoon and turtle. Without hesitation, she bound the cord around their bodies. Tugging it, the cord started to get reeled in. With no time they were back at shore.

Getting her breath back shivering in the cold, her attention went to Raleigh's boat. It looked like the cops took advantage of the disablement of the storm machine starting their siege on it.

Murray started tying up Raleigh, while Bentley took a look at Sly, Sly's health having priority over the police presence.

"Sly wake-up, Come on you are not going to leave us here are you?" Murray carried Cooper to the back of the van, Bentley climbed inside crouching over him trying to shake him awake.

"Do you know CPR?" Sam moved next to the turtle.

"I know the theory behind it, but I never had the opportunity to do it in real life."

She sighed, How did they survive until now. Pushing Bentley out of the way she started compressions on Sly's chest, giving him mouth to mouth and repeating the process.

Bentley and Murray were looking at her with full anxiety. "We can't stay here we need to move before they find us," Bentley stated.

Continuing the chest compressions she had no time to refuse. Murray took his place behind the driver's wheel. Setting the van in motion again. While she continued the CPR, Bentley kept a close eye on her making sure she didn't make any wrong move trying to hurt him.

After giving mouth to mouth again, there finally came life in the raccoon. He started coughing spitting out sea water. Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

Making eye contact with her. A small smile appeared on his face. "Hey, Sam you are still here?"

She sighed not having the energy to say something about the name, she slumped down on the ground. 'What did I get myself into."


	4. Chapter 4: Home Sweet Home

Hello Everyone, So here is the latest chapter. I did a couple of changes to previous chapters, so it may be necessary to reread those chapters, to not be confused. Normally this will be the only time I do such drastic changes. Hope you enjoy it.

* * *

The ride back to the mainland was mostly uneventful. Sly was still trying recuperating from his near-death experience to her relief this kept him from making his smartass quips. They hadn't any reserve clothes for her anymore but Bentley had given the both of them towels to at least warm up a little.

Bentley was typing on his laptop probably planning their next heist. He still didn't trust her throwing glances at her when he thought she wasn't looking. It was slowly starting to get on her nerves. Trying to keep herself in not making a remark about it knowing she would probably do the same if she was in his place, and by the looks of it, they were keeping their word of releasing her. So she would play nice with them for now.

After they reached land, Murray asked where it would have suited best for her to be dropped off. She suggested somewhere around London, knowing it would be the easiest way for someone to come pick her up. To her surprise, all of them agreed and that's why they were currently navigating the suburbs of London.

"Did anyone ever told you looked like the Mona Lisa." Samantha raised her brow at the remark of the raccoon. "If you would smile a little more, the resemblance would be uncanny."

By the sound of his remarks, it looked like the raccoon didn't have any lasting brain damage.

"And since when are you an art critic?" She retaliated.

"You would be surprised how much you learn about the things you steal?" He was enjoying it she saw it in his eyes, she shouldn't go in on his remarks so easily.

"Last time I checked the Mona Lisa is located in the Louvre." Did only made his cocky smile bigger. "Are you seriously implying that that one is a fake."

"I am not implying anything, I am just saying a certain mob boss in Italy has a really perfect replica of it hanging in his office." Sam didn't know how to react to this, if this was true, it would make world news. The whole world would be shocked that for so long they were visiting the museum for a fake.

Bentley cleared his throat while throwing a death stare at sly, indicating he told too much.

Sly brought his attention to the front of the van where Murray was driving it."Well enough talk about dusty paintings. How long until we can release Sam safely."

"It's Samantha." She corrected him. "And just stop here, I know where we are now."

Murray looked back to Bentley waiting for his approval. Getting a nod from the turtle he brought the van to a halt. Sly got up opening the door for her to get out. Throwing the towel into his arms, she finally took a breath of much needed fresh air, it was getting a little too stale in there with three guys.

"So this is it." Sly looked at her with a glint of gratitude at her. "I wanted to thank you if you weren't there I would be fish food now."

"Don't worry about it, just an everyday job in the life of a damsel in distress." Sly snorted at that remark. "Before you leave can I borrow a phone to call for a lift."

Sly turned around hearing him rumble around in the back of the van, to return with a prepaid phone. "You can have it, we have more than enough here in the back."

"Thanks, And I hope I never see you guys again." She said with a little smile.

The raccoon returned the smile. "I hope the same." He started closing the van door when he suddenly stopped. "Keep yourself safe, Sam." With that, he closed the door and they were gone in the night.

"It's Samantha." She grumbled to deaf man ears. Now she only needed to call Seb and she could go home. Entering the number she heard the phone go over. Hopefully, someone was home, would they have been in a panic searching for her?

"Good Evening, Steele household." Came her uncle's voice over the line.

She let out a sigh of relief hearing his voice. "Uncle, it's me. It may sound a little weird but can you come pick me up."

"Sam? Is that you." she heard his surprised voice. "Where are you?"

"A couple of Kilometers outside of London. I will send you my address by text message."

"Stay where you are. Mike and Ike are not here for the moment, so I'll come to get you myself." He hanged up. Letting a sigh a relief that his bodyguards weren't the ones coming to get her. Leaving her alone in the dark street.

It didn't take long until she saw his black car appear at the end of the street. Stopping next to her the window went down showing her uncle sitting in the driver's seat. With a concerned look on his face, he gestured her to get in the car. Once she entered the passenger's seat the took off towards their house.

"Are you alright? What happened, the last I saw you, was on the boat in the dining room." He asked her while trying to keep his attention on the road.

"It was horrible, I tried looking for you but got trapped in the hallway." She sighed remembering the horrible sound of the waves crashing into the boat. "I only survived because I created a makeshift rescue boat out of a fridge.

This got a surprised look out of him. "Then I reached the shore and took a bus back to here. Bought a phone in a little shop, called you and now we are here." She continued, leaving any mention of the Cooper gang out of it.

He started rubbing his eyes, taking a good look at him again, she noticed he looked like a wreck. His eyes were bloodshot and had bags under them, his fur looked like he just came out of bed. "Are you alright?"

He looked at her with a little surprise. "Yeah, I am fine." That ended the conversation again. For the next couple of minutes, the car was silent.

She couldn't stand it anymore she needed to ask. "Why were you going back to your cabin."

The silence was deafening, he didn't answer for a couple of seconds. She wanted to say something when he answered. "It was something very important I couldn't leave it."

"So what was so important that you risked your own life for it." She almost shouted not really liking the dodgy answer.

"It doesn't matter, I don't want to talk about it."

"What do you mean, it doesn't matter I risked my life looking for you!" She was getting pissed off at him. This had been happening the last couple of years when they had these little moments together he would dodge some questions or he would shut himself off.

"You wouldn't understand. It's personal." He growled, indicating the conversation was over.

"Everybody was worried about you, we didn't know if you were still alive or not." He switched the conversation. "The staff has been out all day looking for you around the seashore. Did you see any of them before me?" This made her smile, to know that they hadn't forgotten her.

"No, I don't think that I saw any of them." At these words, his body relaxed a little bit.

"Oke, I should call them when we return to inform them you are found." They just arrived at the mansion. The mansion was built by her great-grandfather and since then it was passed through the family to her. It was too big for her, that was why she gave a wing of it to Sebastian. She even proposed for her uncle to move in but he declined.

Arriving at the end of the driveway, her uncle stopped the car making his way to the front door. Keeping it open for her. Entering the lobby, she was greeted by the portraits of her family from her great-grandfather to her parents. Her mother was sitting in a chair, her white fur combed to perfection. She was always jealous of it, she never had the perfect white of her mother but a little more grey. The man behind her mother was her stern father, he had a black fur and piercing blue eyes, the only thing she got from him. She always thought it reflected their personalities. Her mother was always friendly, optimistically a jovial. While her father was a stern, hard man. She and her father's personalities conflicted more than a couple of times, being both known as stubborn people. Making her relationship with him very strained.

"I will make you some tea to warm, you up." Her uncle interrupted her thoughts.

"Ok.., I'll be in the sitting room." At that answer, he nodded and left to the kitchen.

Pulling her vision from the painting she entered the sitting room.

The fireplace was still on, standing in front of it she felt the heat being absorbed by her bones. It felt like it was ages since she felt this warmth. Hearing the door open behind her she saw her uncle enter with two cups of tea. "Here this should warm you up, I will go make a call to everyone to inform them you safely returned. Just sit down and rest a little."

Once he left she sat down on the couch, taking a sip of the tea. The clock started to chime for midnight. With every chime, the room started to spin more and more. Something wasn't right. Was she poisoned?. It had to be the tea, trying to get up her legs gave in, slumping down on the floor. She heard the door open and a couple of dark blue shoes stopped right in front of her. Not having the power she couldn't see the person's face only hear the last words he said. "You just couldn't stay dead now could you." before the world became black.

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Leave a review, so I know you are enjoying the story, what I can improve or just tell me what you think about it.


	5. Chapter 5: Betrayal

**Aim1107:**

Glad you like it. Hope you enjoy where I plan to go with the story. Thanks for the advice I will try to implement your tips. My main language isn't English so it's still possible that I will make grammatical errors or that sentences will be weirdly composed. But I hope this will improve as I continue writing the chapters.

* * *

Her head felt like it was going explode. She hadn't felt like this since her student years. She didn't want a repeat of waking up with the school's goat mascot in her room.

Looking around she was only met with darkness, something was put over her head making it hard for her to breath. Trying to get up she felt ropes hampering her movements. She started to panic slightly, it wasn't good if you woke up with a blindfold while you are fully tied up.

"I think she's awake." came a familiar, heavy voice from somewhere in the room.

"Shut up." a second voice joined the first one. This one was more hushed. "Do you want her to find out who we are."

"But she already knows us, she is our bo.." The voice was cut off by the sound of a hit.

"Auw, you idiot why did you do that."

"Because you don't know when to shut up, that's why." The second voice was now shouting.

It finally clicked why they sounded so familiar. "Mike, Ike is that you guys, what's going on. Release me from these binds immediately."

It was silent for a couple of minutes. The only sign that they were still there was there heavy breathing. "I know you guys are still there. If you don't release me in the next five seconds, I'll make you guys wish you were never been born."

She heard them shuffle around. "We don't know who these Mike and Ike persons are missy." One of them said with trying to mask their voice with a high pitched one.

"You buffoons, I know you are there so let me go or I will start to scream and trash."

Again the silence returned when she suddenly felt someone come closer, lifting the darkness from her head. Squinting her eyes because of the bright light she could see two shapes stand in front of her. Once her eyes had adjusted to the light she was greeted by two grumpy looking rhinos. Mike and Ike, also known as her uncle's bodyguards.

"What are guys doing here. Don't stand there let me out of these ropes." Ike started making his way over to her only to be stopped by his brother.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"What does It look like, I am going to release her. She's still our boss so."

Mike started to lose his calm. "Ike, why do you think she's tied up in the first place."

Ike looked deep in thought before his face lighted up. "We are kidnapping her."

"And why are we kidnapping her."

"Because the boss wants to take over her fortune and we get a share if we took care of her" Ike grinned at the prospect of getting the money.

"What, are you guys serious. After everything my family, I have done for you guys." She started to get furious trying to fight the ropes even harder.

Mike bent over her, having a cocky smirk all over his face. He was lucky the ropes were keeping her tied up, otherwise she would punch it from his face. "Nothing personal missy. You were always a good boss to me and my brother. But we don't want to slave away as bodyguards our entire life. We have bigger ambitions."

"If you want money, I can give it to you, I have more than enough." Mike laughed at her proposal.

"We are too far to go back now. But thanks for the offer. You're lucky the boss doesn't want you death… yet." With that threat, he stood back up and moved to his brother. "We should go back to our seats, we'll probably leave in a couple of minutes."

Not yet done with them she called after them. "Who is this boss. Is he too good to do his own filthy work"

Mike turned back to her, he saw an opportunity and immediately took it. "You still haven't figured it out, have you? It was so easy to win your trust, he was right under your nose this whole time. It should be easy for you to figure out, we only have one boss."

It finally hit her. "My uncle… He wants me gone." her rage was extinguished. Surprised that her only family left, wanted her dead.

Mike smirked at her reaction. "It was actually lucky you survived. If you just tell us the location of your stock certificates we'll let you go. No harm done " Not even caring anymore she ignored him trying to figure out why her uncle would do this.

But he didn't leave it with this, finally being the one in control he wanted a reaction from her. "What? no snapping remark, where is that fire that you are known for." Still getting nothing from her, he turned back to his brother.

Ike looked at his brother with a little bit regret. "Don't worry Muggshot will take care of you. Come, Ike, let's give her some alone time, she can use it." Once they were outside she heard multiple locks clicking in place indicating even if she could free herself from the ropes, she was still stuck in the room.

'How could I have been so stupid, I shouldn't have trusted him.' She went through all their interactions. She didn't see it, they had grown distant, yes, But he never showed any signs of hating her.

She didn't care anymore the room started to spin around, she couldn't handle another loss. He was the only family she had left. And now she had no one. After her mother's death, she had felt the same the helplessness, and she didn't know if she could handle it a second time.

A whistle blew outside, followed by the room rumbling like it was slowly moving. The only thing she could think of was a train. Meaning they had probably continued their journey. Her chance of someone rescuing her became smaller now that they started moving. She started trying to brute force her way out of her ropes only for them to cut in her flesh.

"Pssst" She stopped her escape attempts to look around for the origin of the sound She shrugged it off and continued her escape attempts

"Pssst" Now she was sure she heard something.

"Hello, somebody out there?" She glanced around the room trying to get a view of the source of the sound.

She heard a little shuffle behind her when someone started to fumble with the ropes. Once she felt them loosen up her hope started to build up again. A couple of seconds later her ropes were on the floor.

Turning around to meet her rescuer she was met with two brown eyes belonging to a smirking raccoon. Before she could react to his presence he moved his finger in front of his mouth indicating that she needed to keep quiet.

Making his way to the door he listened if anyone had heard him. Once he was sure no one was coming, he made his way to the back of the wagon. Crouching in front of something. Once she moved closer to him she saw the way he gained access to the wagon. In the back was an air vent.

He pointed at the vent indicating she needed to go inside. Not wanting to take her chances with the brothers she decided to follow his lead. The vent was cramped and full of spider webs.

Maneuvering through it was harder then it looked at first glance, but she was making progress. With time from time spitting out a spiderweb. After a couple of seconds, she saw sunlight indicating that she was almost outside when she suddenly heard the door from their wagon unlock. "Goddammit," that was Mike, finding out she wasn't bound to the chair anymore.

Further moving to the exit she heard a shuffle behind them, "They are in the air vents!".

Feeling a push from behind Sly tried to make her go faster. "They found us, we need to move faster."

Not having the time to complain she crawled as fast as she could.

Once outside she was met with a burning sun, what was weird because the sun was never this bright in London. It became clear she wasn't in England anymore when she only saw sand and cacti.

* * *

Ike was not feeling comfortable with the whole situation. It wasn't the kidnapping. He and his brother had done worse things before they started working for Edward Steele. It was even a miracle he had hired them. No, it was that he actually liked Samantha, she had given them a job, when no one else had given them a chance and now they were betraying her trust.

"I know that face, you are thinking and you know what I told you." Ike rolled his eyes at his brother's remark. "Leave the thinking over to me."

He loved his brother more than anything in the world. They were abandoned as children, since then Mike had taken care of them, fighting off anyone that wanted to hurt them, making sure they wouldn't go hungry to bed. They had done things that weren't legal, just to make sure they would make it to the next day. Steal something here, rob a place there but never had they kidnapped or hurt anyone.

"Listen, I know you aren't comfortable with all this." Mike took his brother's arm, making him look in his eyes. "Trust me, I will take care of everything."

Ike gave a sad smile "Ok."

"Ok," Mike repeated patting his arm. "I am hungry, we should almost be at the station, from there she's Muggshot's problem."

"What is he going to do to her?" Ike asked still having doubts if the money was really worth betraying her.

Mike sighed, he knew that Ike was going to have problems with what was going to happen. His brother was no wuss, but he understood why he was doubting if this job was worth it. Still, it was their only way to finally become someone and not just two street rats. Even if that meant hurting her. "He will make sure she talks if she does we release her without a problem."

"And what if she doesn't"

"Then. Don't worry about it. Just think about all the money we are going to have." Mike reassured his brother. He moved over to the buffet table that was positioned at the end of their wagon. It was completely empty giving them some privacy courtesy of the boss.

Ike decided to drop the subject, seeing that his brother didn't want to talk about it anymore. Trying to distract his thoughts he looked outside trying to find something interesting. There was only sand, cacti, a blue van, and rocks. He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't imagining things. But he wasn't, there was a van riding right next to the train. It was already weird that someone would come so far out into no man's land, but that the van door was open with a turtle hanging out looking up to someone on top of the train made it totally absurd.

"Bro, I think we have a problem." At his call, Mike appeared with a plate full of food.

"What's the pro…Shit" Before he could he finish the sentence he saw the van. Without further saying a word he ran in the direction of the wagon where Samantha was locked up.

Ike followed his brother finding him unlocking the door. Bursting in he found the room empty only leaving an empty chair with the ropes next to it. "Goddammit, how did she get out of the room." Frantically looking around his eye fell on an open air duct. Positing himself on his stomach he peered inside to see a couple of feet move inside there. "They are in the air vents!"

Reaching his arm inside he tried to grasp them, only to just miss them. They were too far inside. Standing back up turning back to his brother. "Get to the back of the train and try to cut them off, I will follow them from here."

Ike ran off, leaving him alone. The boss was going to kill them if he let her escape. Why couldn't go everything like it was planned?

* * *

She was situated on top of the riding train. Steadying herself to prevent from falling she looked back at the vent, seeing Sly emerge from it. This was the second time he had saved her.

"We need to hurry up if the train gains to much speed the van won't be able to keep up," Sly shouted above the noise of the train.

Before she could ask what he meant with the van keeping up he dragged her further to the back of the train. Jumping from car to car, they were in such a hurry that she hadn't any time to think how safe this all was.

Once they made it to the fourth car, she saw what he meant. Next to train Murray was maneuvering the gang's van through the desert, while Bentley was trying to keep the doors open.

"Okay, that was the hard part, now we just need to jump down." He nonchalantly said.

"Are you serious, If I do that I'll break my neck." Finally seeing in what for a situation she was the logical part of her brain started to catch up.

"It's easy, look" And the next moment Sly leaped up in the air only to land gracefully on the roof of the van. With a big smirk, he turned to her. "See nothing too it."

"I am not an acrobat I can't do that." Sam retorted seeing herself miss the jump and fall to her death.

Sly's smirk disappeared to be replaced by a serious look. "If you don't jump, you'll be stuck on the train. And the van won't be able to keep up for much longer, so this your only chance. You need to jump."

Still hesitating, she saw the van having it more difficult to keep up while the train that was starting to speed up. "Sly, hurry up we have 30 seconds left before the train goes too fast," Bentley shouted from the door.

She took a step forward, only to be startled by a shout to her left. "Stop right there Missy." Looking for the source she came eye to eye with Mike. He had made his way to the top of the train and was now making his way to her. Backing away from him she heard a door open behind her.

Looking at the end of the train she saw that Ike was approaching her from behind. She was trapped between the two of them and the speeding ground below.

"You need to jump!" Sly shouted with a little panic in his voice.

"Come calmly back to us, missy. Don't be stupid, and come back inside where you won't hurt yourself." Mike tried to badly negotiate with her.

"Sam, look at me." Sly tried to get her attention. "Just jump, I'll catch you if you fall. Trust me."

That was the question, wasn't it? Did she trust the raccoon she just only met? Looking at the twins, the answer was easy. Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith. With that she took a running start, leaping towards the van.

For one moment it looked like the world moved in slow motion. She saw the fear in Murray's eyes, the fingers of Sly's hand beginning to open to catch her and Mike and Ike starting to run in her direction trying to catch her.

Time sped up again, she just landed on the roof. She let out a sigh of relief when she suddenly felt herself slip away down the side. Finding no grip she slid further down.

"I got you." She heard Sly shout while he grabbed her by the shoulders and started to lift her back onto the roof. Once she was back up on the roof she moved away from the border not trusting her grip anymore.

"Are you alright?" Sly looked her up and down for any injuries.

She let out a sigh of relief. "I am fine, thanks to you."

Sly nodded "Let's go inside before we fall off." With that, he helped her maneuver back into the van. Once inside Murray veered away from the train. While Bentley started to close the doors.

Looking at the gang she was in their debt again. Without them, she didn't know what would have happened to her.

One last time she looked back at the train and the two smaller becoming figures on top of it. If what they had said was true, she had nowhere left to go. She didn't know what to do now.

* * *

"Goddammit." Mike was looking at the smaller becoming vehicle. There was no way they were going to catch it. Even if they could stop the train they would already be far gone.

"What do we do now," Ike asked his brother.

Mike sighed knowing what had to be done. "We call the boss. And wait for instructions."

"He's going to be pissed."

Mike took out his phone and started to call a number. "No, he's going to be furious."

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 **Leave a review, so I know you are enjoying the story, what I can improve or just tell me what you think about it.**


	6. Chapter 6: Pitstop

**lovelyhatter:** Thanks, I hope you'll also enjoy the next chapter.

 **MadameMirage77:** Thanks for coming back, don't worry about me, your personal life has priority. Yeah, poor Sebastian is probably worried not knowing where she is. And he will return but for the moment Sam has so much going on that she forgot to let him know she's alive.

 **Aim1107:** Thanks, I try to do my best, sometimes the flow isn't really 100%, but I hope this will improve over time.

 **grapejuice101:** Normally I am going to follow the three first games, I am also thinking about going into Sly 4 but I can't confirm it for now.

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The hot water felt so good. After driving an hour the gang had decided they would stop at a motel. Giving her time to take a shower. Bentley wasn't a fan off leaving her alone so Sly compromised and had offered to wait in front of her room. Making sure she wouldn't leave without them.

The room itself wasn't the fanciest thing, not really surprising knowing that they were in the middle of the desert, miles away from civilization. Sly didn't want to say anything until they found someplace to stop and eat something. The only thing she got out of him was that they were in somewhere in the Utah desert.

Returning to the bedroom she looked at the new clothes that Sly had bought for her. Well, they weren't new clothes, they looked the same as the ones she borrowed from Sly but instead of blue shirts they had bought her multiple black shirts and gray pants, but in her size this time.

She had asked if he couldn't have bought anything else but according to him, they were the most comfortable clothes you could wear and he thought she looked good in them. She ignored his flirting still being grateful he had saved her.

As last, she still had her hiking boots, which were still in a fine condition to use. Once dressed she decided to go look for her companions.

Leaving the room she was met with the sleeping figure of Sly. He was slumped in a chair with a little bit of drool coming out of his mouth. Kicking his feet he shot up. "I'm awake."

He looked up at her, with a small smile. "Hey, are you feeling better now?"

"A Lot better, that shower was what I really needed. I'm hungry, can we go eat something?" He nodded at her dragging himself out of his chair.

Moving his way to the neighboring door, he knocked on it waiting for the inhabitants to open up. They heard someone run to the door. "What's the password?".

Sly sighed. "It's me, Bentley, just open the door."

"What's the password?" The voice repeated.

"The eggs are in the tree," Sly said with a smirk.

"Wrong!" The voice was getting more irritated.

"Okay, let me think, Ha I remember." Sly cleared his throat in a dramatic way while moving closer to the door. "The Turtle is in the soup."

"Sly are you even trying." This got a chuckle from Sam seeing how Bentley got more and more frustrated at Sly's antics.

"See, you know it's me so open the door." Sly was trying to keep his laugh.

"Sly, you know how important this is, so try to be serious for once."

Wiping away the tears from his eyes, taking deep breaths he regained his composure.

"Relax, Bentley no one knows we are here." Getting no reaction Sly moved. "The eggs are in the soup."

With that one sentence, they heard a lock click open on the other side. The door opened with a crack, kept in place by a chain. An eye behind a pair of glasses appeared looking at the two of them. The door closed again, to be fully opened, allowing them entrance to the room.

Both of them entered exactly the same room as her's. The only difference that everything was mirrored. It didn't look like Sly was the only one who needed sleep. In the only bed in the room, Murray was laying deep asleep.

"Sly it would be better if you could take this more seriously. We don't know if we were followed. And for the same thing, she called the cops on us." He pointed at Samantha.

Not liking the personal attack she rebutted. "If I wanted to rat you guys out I would have done it on the Isle Of Wrath."

Sly intervened before they started to throw things. "Calm down, both of you. Bentley, she hasn't given us any sign yet to not trust her. And besides, we decided to save her."

"You and Murray decided that" Bentley interjected.

Sly ignored the remark and turned to Sam. "And Bentley can be strict sometimes on the rules. But he makes sure we don't get arrested so give him some slack."

He looked at the both of them. "So now makeup, we are all friends here." Sly looked at the both of them, waiting for them to react. Bentley rolled his eyes and took the first step

reaching his hand out to her.

Sly looked at her with an expecting look. Grumbly she took his hand. "No hard feelings?"

"No hard feelings," Bentley repeated.

With that the turtle moved over to his sleeping friend, shaking him awake. Murray bolted up, looking surprised around. Once his eyes fell on the one who woke. A goofy smile appeared on his face. "Hey, Bentley what's up?"

"We are going to get some food are you coming." She had never seen such a big guy move so fast at the word food. He ran outside with Bentley trying to keep him from getting lost.

Sly followed his friends, she decided to do the same when her eye fell on the only table in the room. It was full of blueprints and photographs. But the most interesting thing was an old looking book.

It was leatherbound with a gold lock on the side. The only thing to identify it was the title, "The Thievius Raccoonus." that was written in big blue letters on the front.

Before her curiosity could take over Sly stuck his head in the door. "Are you coming?" He pointed at where his friends went off to.

"Yeah, sorry." She followed him to a dinner that was located on the other side of the road of their motel. It was a cozy looking place. Above the door, there was a sign in pink neon letters, "Martha's dinner". It looked exactly like a diner you would find in the movies, from the checkered floor to the read seats.

Bentley led the way to the back, away from the other customers so they could have some privacy. Once everyone was settled they were joined by a hippo, the waitress.

"So what I can get you, guys." She gave them a questioning look while keeping her pen above her notebook.

"For me, a burger and small fries" Bentley went first.

Sly went next. "Double Cheeseburger, with large fries and a milkshake."

Sam looked at the menu, everything looked so good. "For me the same as him." Having too many choices she decided just to take the same a sly.

The woman wrote down their orders and looked at her final client. Murray looked like he was in deep thought trying to decipher the menu. "For me, 2 double cheeseburgers, 1 burger, 2 milkshakes and 1 coke."

Sam looked at the pink hippo in surprise, he was big but to eat all of that even surprised her. Looking at his friends they didn't react to it, already being used to his appetite. The waitress wrote down his order. "I see we have someone with a big appetite here." She winked at Murray and left to make the order.

"So why am I in America?" She immediately asked her companions, finally wanting answers.

"So let's start at the when you left us." Sly started. "We were coincidental riding past your house."

"You mean you wanted to make sure she got home safe," Bentley interjected.

Sly had at least the decency to look embarrassed at Sam, who was giving him a questionable look.

"Oke, so I was worried. You saved me so the least I could do was make sure you got home safe. We had no other intentions." He tried to justify himself. "And it was good we were there. We just wanted to leave when we saw those two shady figures leave your estate carrying a person shaped bundle."

"We followed them to the airport, where we figured out that it was you. They carried you on a freight plane. We stole the flight plans and chased after the plane."

Sly stopped looking at the waitress that was arriving with their orders. "Here's your order."

She distributed the food over the four of them. "And I added some extra fries for you, sweetie" She winked at Murray while leaving with a sway in her step.

The pink hippo's cheeks became even pinker then they were normal, while Sly teased him a little. "I think a certain waitress has a crush on you." This made his cheeks even redder, trying to alleviate the redness he started to eat.

Getting a chuckle from everyone around the table they started on their food. "So where was I?" Sly asked munching on a fry.

"You followed the freight plane," Sam answered. Sly face lighted up, "Yes, So we followed the plane to Salt Lake City. From which Bentley hacked the security cameras, we saw them board the train with you, we jumped in the van and here we are."

She didn't know how to react to the story she couldn't believe what was more unbelievable that her uncle's bodyguards kidnapped her to America just to get her out of the picture or that the gang went through all that trouble just to save her.

"Do you know what happened to you? What did those two want with you?" Sly asked, looking around the table she saw that all three were now looking interested in what she knew.

"My uncle" she started, swallowing the crop that formed in her throat. "He was the one who sedated me, he gave the orders to kidnap me, he's the one who wanted me dead. Just for some money."

Sly moved a reassuring hand on her shoulder seeing that she had it difficult. Murray stopped eating, looking guilty and even Bentley gave her a sympathetic look.

"Are you sure it was your uncle, couldn't those two have worked on their own," Sly asked.

"Those two are too stupid to come up with a half decent plan, and they made sure to rub it in my face that it was my uncle who betrayed me." She recollected the memories of Mike's smug smile at revealing that aspect to her.

"But you said he wanted your death, why did you kidnap instead of killing you." Bentley joined the conversation.

"They wanted to know the location of my stock certificates of the family company." This got Bentley thinking.

"How much stocks did you and your uncle have in the company."

"I got a 40% share, my uncle 30% and the rest is owned by other companies." A strange look appeared on his face like something wasn't right.

"Weird why would he want your shares. With you out of the way he would be the majority shareholder." Bentley removed his glasses and started cleaning them. "Unless he wants to prevent the other shareholders from buying your shares. Still, even then I don't think your uncle wouldn't be able to buy them easily."

"It was simply easier to get hold of them now than to take the risk of losing them to someone else." Sam dismissed, still Bentley didn't look convinced.

"Is there any way we can prove that your uncle did this to you?" Murray joined forgetting his food that was still in front of him.

"I don't know, I don't think so. Maybe the cup of tea I was sedated with, but he probably got rid of it. Maybe Mike and Ike know something but they wouldn't betray their boss."

The gang was quite for a moment trying to come up with an idea

"Was there anything else you remember that can be important." Sly broke the silence.

She tried to remember anything they could have said that was important. "I don't thin.. wait they said something about someone called Muggshot."

The groups looked surprised at his name. "Are you sure they said Muggshot."

"Yes, I think that was the name, why do know him?" Sly glanced at Bentley who started shaking his head no, indicating he couldn't say anything.

"I can't tell." Sly looked guilty, getting an approved look from Bentley.

"Why not, it's possible this man has answers for me, maybe some evidence to prove that my uncle did this to me."She stood up and shouted getting the attention of the whole dinner."And you are going to prevent me from finding him."

Sly pushed her back into her seat while quietly saying sorry to the other customers. "Calm down okay. It's not that simple, we take a risk if we tell you."

"If we tell you who he is we can't let you leave. We would need to kidnap you do you understand." Bentley tried to reason with her.

"Fine, for how long do I need to stay with you guys if you tell me." She wasn't going to let them off the hook so easily.

Bentley sighed, "A couple of days, why?"

"Fine, I'll stay with you guys for that period, now tell me who is Muggshot." If it meant to get some sort evidence that her uncle did to her she would join them for a couple of days.

"No, no way we won't say anything." Bentley was still refusing to say anything.

She looked pleading eyes at Sly. "Sorry, it's not that I don't trust you, but it's too dangerous. And we can't keep an eye on you the whole time."

She was disappointed with their answer. "I can take care of myself."

"I know, but if something would happen, I would hold myself responsible." Sly retorted.

Were they really not going to tell her who he was, the only thing she could do then was to go to the cops. She could already see them laugh in her face accusing one of the richest people of England of murder without any evidence.

"He lives in Mesa city." She looked up at Murray. "He and his goons have taken over the city, making it now inaccessible to the inhabitants or the police. And he is our next target."

Bentley and Sly looked at him with their mouth open. "I'm sorry guys, but I trust her and I thought you guys would understand how it feels to want answers." He looked specifically at Sly saying those last words.

A small smile appeared on Sly's face. "You are right, she deserves answers." Now there was only Bentley left who hadn't said anything.

He left out a sigh. "Fine she can join us but only for this job. Even if we find nothing about your uncle in Mesa city we drop you off at the closest police station or airport your choice."

Her face lighted up bending herself over the table grabbing all three of them in a group hug. "Thanks, you guys I owe you one."

"I think you owe us more than one." Came the strained voice of Bentley who was having difficulty breathing in her grip.

Letting them loose, the gang took a deep breath happy they were freed from her surprisingly strong grip. Murray finished his meal and they decided to get ready for the road again.

Ready to leave the dinner the waitress waved them goodbye even blowing a kiss to Murray who cheeks again became as red as two tomatoes. "Don't be a stranger, sweetie"

Everyone returned to their rooms, ready to pack in. Sly had lent her one of their bags to pack her clothes

She wouldn't tell them but she was a little excited to join them. During their escape, she had never felt so alive. It was weird one part of her brain saw the danger and made her hesitate when she needed to jump, but the other part wanted to do it again.

Once everything was packed and everyone was ready they packed everything in the van and they continued their journey through the desert. According to Murray Mesa city was located in the middle of the desert far away from any other city, so it was easy for Muggshot to take it over.

"So what do you know about this Muggshot." She asked the others.

"Well, where should I start." Sly turned around from the front seat to look at her. "Muggshot is ruthless, he is known as the muscle of the fiendish five."

"The fiendish five? Are they thieves like you guys?" She got curious, a group called the fiendish five wouldn't keep themselves busy with legal things. Maybe her uncle got even connections to the group.

The three of them became awkward all looking away like they didn't want to answer.

Sly looked like he was trying to find his words. "They do more than just steal things, a lot worse things. A bunch of the worst criminals." His eyes became hard talking about them like he hated them to the core. She got a little scared, seeing the carefree raccoon so serious.

But she needed to ask she needed to get answers. "And Raleigh was also part of this 'Fiendish Five'?"

All three of them nodded, confirming her suspicion. "So, your next targets exist out of all these fiendish five members? Why what have they done to you guys." Again the van became quite none of them liked the question.

"They are criminals and we steal from criminals," Sly answered, she knew he was lying he was too serious about the way he talked about them, but she was going to drop it for now.

Bentley opened his laptop putting it front of her. On the screen, there was an image of a vicious looking bulldog with a thick mustache and an even thicker unibrow. "hahaha." Everyone looked surprised to her.

"Haha.. look at his tiny haha.. little legs haha.. he looks so weird." Everybody took a look at the picture. He used his massive arms to walk instead of his puny little legs that were just dangling. This lightened the atmosphere again.

Wiping away a tear, Sly continued "Oke, like I said he is the muscle of the fiendish five. What he lacks in brains he made up with brawn."

Bentley ticked on his laptop showing the next photo of a cute little dog wearing a propeller hat and holding a big lollipop. "He wasn't always this way, he grew up as the runt of the litter. The neighborhood weakling. The only friends he could turn to were usually found on the big screen. It was there that he met his first gangster and he instantly knew what he wanted to be."

She pictured the young dog sitting alone in the cinema with a popcorn and a soda looking full of admiration at the big screen. "The rest of his youth he spend working really hard to get there. Fueled by his dreams of great power and respect. With enough perspiration, he became a hard-boiled, street brawling, tough as nails gangster. Ensuring he never got pushed around again."

He was a gangster but still she felt a little bit of respect for him, instead of living in self-pity, he worked to get revenge on the people who wronged him. Even she could respect that.

"He is holed up in Mesa city now. I've always wanted to go to that thriving American boom town." Sly finished with a smirk. "Knowing that he rules the city we should be careful he doesn't discover we are on his turf," Sly warned her.

"I know, I'll be careful." She reassured him "Can I ask you something."

"Yeah sure, why not." Sly looked at her.

"Why are you going after these criminals. Why not go after museums or normal people." Sam couldn't wrap her head around why they would steal from criminals, taking the risk of them wanting to take revenge. While they could steal from normal people that wouldn't pose a danger.

"Simple, It's too easy to steal from a museum of a home. Stealing from a criminal that's a challenge. It keeps you sharp and proves you are a master thief. And besides those people never did anything wrong, I don't want to ruin their life." Sly elaborated.

This explanation surprised her, they were more honorable than she thought. "So you are like Robin Hood, Murray and Bentley would be your merry men." Sam laughed at the image of them in green clothes.

"What would that make you lady Marian?" Again with that cocky smile, he knew how to rile her up before she could answer Murray came in between.

"And Carmelita would be the sheriff of Nottingham." This got a laugh from the three of them.

Not knowing who this Carmelita was she just let them laugh at their inside joke.

Sly turned back around to the front to look where they were. "We can talk about this later. We are almost in Mesa City."

With that, she moved over the seats to get a look at the road, and Like he said in the distance were the outlines of the city. Passing a plate saying "Mesa City next exit." meant that they would arrive in Mesa City in a couple of minutes.

The closer coming city made her nervous, she knew she was in over her head joining them on a heist on a very dangerous man. But at the same time, she never felt so alive.

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 **Leave a review, so I know you are enjoying the story, what I can improve or just tell me what you think about it.**


	7. Chapter 7: A Deceitful Start

**Aim1107: Thanks. Hope you enjoy this chapter as well.**

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CHAPTER 7

The road to the city was more perilous than she would have thought. For the moment Murray was maneuvering them along a narrow ledge with on the one side the mountains and on the other side an abyss The sound of the continuously little rocks falling on the roof didn't help at all to calm her nerves.

What surprised her the most was that Murray was doing this with such confidence. Whenever she saw him when he was not behind the wheel he looked so nervous and relied heavily on Sly and Bentley to take decisions. But behind the wheel, he was a totally different person. Gone was the cowardly hippo to be replaced by a person full of confidence. Still, she didn't feel at ease when someone else was driving, not having control over the vehicle.

The van started to slow down, looking outside she saw that they had arrived in front a massive gate blocking the way into the city. It was weirdly decorated with led lights and playing cards that were contrasted by the keep out sign and the wooden planks locking the gate.

"Is this the only way in?" Sly asked his companions, his eyes already analyzing how he was going to scale the gate.

At his friend's question, Bentley scattered a couple of blueprints over the floor giving everyone a chance to look at them. They depicted a map of Mesa City and what looked like a casino with "Boneyard Casino" written above.

"It looks like there is only one way in and that's through that gate. But if my analysis is correct Muggshot probably moved most of his forces there to guard it." Bentley went over the plans with his finger trying to find another entrance. "We could try to climb the cliffside, the only problem is that we need to drive back down losing another day and even then it probably will take you a couple of hours to climb it."

Sly got up, stretching his back, popping a couple of bones in the process. "We don't have time for that, so front door it is." With that he jumped out, hopping over the gate with surprising grace.

Being left alone with Bentley and Murray she didn't really know what to do. Where Sly was jovial, including her in conversations, they were different.

Bentley calmed down a little after Murray had convinced them to let her join, still, he kept a close eye on her. It felt like he was watching her every move and word she said.

Murray was a lot friendlier with her, but still, even then he was a little bit too shy never trying to start a conversation with her. This could be the cause he needed to concentrate on the road.

They both went to do their own stuff. Bentley took the Blueprints and his laptop moving to the front seat. Probably helping Sly with any information he needed while in the field.

While he was doing that Murray with a toolbox in hand moved to the front of the van.

Not really having anything to do while the two of them were busy she took a block of paper and pencil from Bentley's stuff he probably wouldn't miss it.

Moving a little away from their parking spot she came on a cliff giving a view out over the desert below. It looked so desolate but peaceful at the same time. She had finally time to set her thoughts on a row. Taking a paper she started writing everything down she could use to prove her uncle's guilt.

The first piece of evidence was him running to his room when the ship was sinking, to get something "important" like he said. What was so important he needed to risk his life for it. Looking at it from another perspective he could have done it, to get her away from the rescue boats, making her chance of survival even slimmer.

The second piece of evidence was the ride back home, It was already weird how he was the only one in the mansion.

Her father had made an automated system called the EAA system short for the Employee Automated Assignment System. It was made so that during the night at least one employee would be at their home, in case of an emergency or a late night visitor.

The best part was that he had made a loophole in his employee's contracts so he could pay them the same as during the day. Still, by the insistence of her mother, he paid them double for the night work. That didn't mean he stopped boasting at parties how he could have used it, claiming in his good nature he didn't.

Looking back at the relationship she couldn't understand what her mother ever had seen in him like they said 'Love makes you blind'.

Getting back to her list, she wrote down, 'Witnesses - EAA system, Who was responsible that night?' She didn't know out of her head who was on duty that night, the only way to know for sure was to get access to the system. There were only three people who could see the history of the schedule from remote.

Herself, now she was regretting the hundred of times she ignored the IT guys asking her to come to them to create an account on the system. Her uncle, that was definitely no option and Seb.

She facepalmed herself, how could she have forgotten about Sebastian, he was probably still looking for her. Not even knowing she was alive, she had to contact him somehow, to make sure her uncle didn't do anything to him and if he could help her in some way.

Having no time to waste she threw down her notepad and pencil and ran back to the van, hoping that the turtle was in a good mood.

She found him in the same place she had left him, typing away on his laptop talking to Sly. She nudged him lightly to get his attention, hoping he wasn't doing something important.

"What's the problem." He removed his headphones from one ear leaving the other one, so he could still hear when Sly needed him for something.

"I want to contact a friend of mine, I need to make sure he's fine.." She used her best puppy eyes, nobody could refuse her if she used them, even Seb had difficulty saying no, knowing that he was almost as good as her father was at negotiating.

Bentley sighed, taking off his glasses rubbing the bridge of his nose. She kept staring at him with the biggest wateriest eyes she could muster. Looking up at her again, she could see the internal struggle he was having about whether he trusted her enough to use a phone or not.

If it depended on him he wouldn't let her come close to a phone, but Murray trusted her. He sighed turning his head to the open hood of the van where the hippo was currently working.

His long indecision was starting to get on her nerves. "I promise I won't tell him anything about you guys, where we are or what we are doing."

Turning back to her he finally caved in. "Fine, you can use the phone." She jumped up in joy hugging the turtle in the process. "Calm down, I have a couple of conditions. You keep the call under a minute, you put the phone on speaker and Murray will need to hear the whole conversation. Understood."

She nodded, a little somber at his conditions. Still, it was a victory for her that he even let her use a phone. Moving to the back of the van he came back with the same model of phone Sly had given her a couple of days ago.

"Murray!" The hippo's head popped up from behind the hood at the call of his name. "Samantha needs to make a call, can you make sure she doesn't say anything that can bring the operation in danger."

"No problem." Murray came from behind the hood wiping away the grease spots from his face and hands following her lead to her thinking spot.

Both of them settled down on a couple of rocks. She dialed his number, it hadn't changed in the past 10 years still remembering it when she needed a pick up from a birthday party and later when she was a little bit too tipsy to safely drive.

She placed the phone between her and Murray, putting it on speaker so he could hear the conversation.

The dial went over a couple of times, she became more worried with every ring. What if Seb found something out about her uncle and he removed him from the picture like he wanted to do with her. When she started to move to hang up, a voice on the other side greeted her.

"Hogg household who am I speaking to." Came Sebastian's groggy voice over the line.

"Seb it's me." She got a little bit of hope at the sound of his voice knowing he was alright.

"Samantha, is that you? You are alive?" Gone was his tired voice replaced by a confused one. "Where are you?"

Taking a look at Murray, she just needed to tell him and he would come get her, bring her home, make her a warm choco and they would laugh about everything that had happened like it was a distant memory. "I can't tell you, but I am safe?"

"Why can't you? Samantha tell me where you are." A little bit of anger came through his voice. "Everyone is worried about you, all the servants volunteered to help look for you."

"It's complicated, but know that I am alright. I am safe for the moment." She felt bad, keeping him the dark after everything he had done for her. But she needed to see this through, she couldn't go back empty-handed, she needed to confront Muggshot.

No sound came from the other side of the line. His breathing the only indication he was still there. "Seb?"

"Yes, I am here." his voice was filled with frustration. "Tell me at least what happened to you after you ran after you left me on the lifeboat."

She could at least tell him that, she recounted how she survived the shipwreck, made it back on land, how her uncle poisoned her and how she escaped Mike and Ike. Making sure she left out any mention of the Cooper gang or where she was.

"Are you sure that it was your uncle that did all of this." She could hear the disbelief in his voice, he was always known to want hard proof before he believed something. "He has been behaving a little jumpy, locking himself away from everyone. Some of the servants say he doesn't sleep anymore staying up until the early morning. He then goes to bed for an hour to lock himself in his study again."

"If that's not proof enough that he's hiding something I don't know it anymore. I only never suspected he would try to murder me for my money." The memories came back of his blue shoes in front her face, taunting her while she couldn't move. "At least I still can trust you, you're the last of a family I have left."

"You can, so just tell me where you are. I'll make sure your uncle or his lackeys won't hurt a hair on your head." Seb wasn't making it easier to say no to him. She knew that he wanted to help, and denying him would hurt their relationship. Murray moved next to her laying a hand of comfort on her shoulder. It felt good to know she wasn't alone in all of this.

"I can't Seb just trust me like I trust you." A heavy sigh came from the other side.

"Fine, I trust you. Is there anything I can do?" This brought a little smile on her face. She heard in his voice that he didn't like the situation. When all of this was over she had a lot of explaining to do to him.

"Yes, I want you to check the EAA system, to see who was there the night I got kidnapped. Maybe they saw something."

"Oke, I'll check it as soon as possible."

Murray tapped her on the shoulder, indicating that the minute was almost over. "I need to go, I'll contact you again when I can."

"Samantha." he was quiet for a couple of seconds, thinking what he should say next. " Make sure you come back in one piece, I don't want to see a third Steele die."

She got quite by his words not really knowing how to react. Murray waved his hand to indicate that the time was up.

"I'll be fine… be careful around him, don't do anything rash. I also don't wanna lose you" With that, she ended the call. It felt good hearing his voice.

Murray took the phone back from her. "He sounds like he cares a lot about you."

"Yeah, he practically raised me. My parents were both too busy with the company. My mother at least tried to spend as much time with me as she could."

"And what about your father?"

A grimace appeared on her face thinking about him. "He wasn't the most pleasant man, we had conflicting personalities."

The call had made her realize how tired she really was, the heaviness of everything that happened in the last couple of days. Letting out a snort she realized how pathetic she must look to the hippo.

"I grew up with no family. The only thing I remember is the orphanage. I felt so lonely, thinking there was something wrong with me that even my own family didn't want me." Looking up at the big guy she saw that his eyes started to water. Slowly she placed her hand on his back to comfort him a little.

"But I made another family, Bentley and Sly are my real family. They were there on my birthdays. They helped me back up when I was in pain. They were the ones who defended me against anyone who bullied me." The teary eyes were replaced by the brightest smile she had ever seen on the hippo. .

"So you see if your family doesn't want you, you find a new one. People who care about you. I would do anything for them like they would the same for me. That's what family's about. So forget about your uncle, you still have Sebastian. It will take time but you'll make a new family just like I did." The hippo got up, offering her his hand

There was something that was bothering since they had left the motel. "Murray, why did you convinced the others to take me along? You don't even know me. Who knows maybe I'll betray you guys the first chance I get."

Murray's face became serious "Without you Sly would have died. In my book, that means you are to be trusted. Besides, that's what friends do." He stated full conviction.

These words made her feel ten times better, washing away the heaviness.

She gave him a small smile. "Thanks that means a lot."

Bentley joined them at the cliff. "Guys, are you ready, Sly is on his way back to open the gate, we need to pack."

"No problem Bentley, As thanks for the phone call I'll load the van in your place." She handed him the phone back before making her way to the van. Murray following her in tow leaving Bentley alone.

Starting to follow them something yellow caught his attention. Crouching down to pick it up, he recognized it as the block of paper Sam had borrowed to write. It was filled with notes in a structured neat handwriting. The thing that got his attention immediately were the words "Witnesses - EAA system" that were circled multiple times.

"Interesting" With that he tore out the page, folded it up and stuffed it in his pocket. Making his way back to the van before they would come looking to see where he was staying.

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 **Leave a review, so I know you are enjoying the story, what I can improve or just tell me what you think about it.**


	8. Chapter 8: Sunset Snake Eyes

"pffff" When she joined an international thief gang, she never expected to use the word bored to describe her time with them.

Once Sly returned he opened the gate giving them access to the city. Hiding the van a little bit out of the city, so that Sly could easily come back to rest when he needed.

This was how she found herself overlooking the city. She expected it to be run down but not like this. The streets were filled with burning barrels, trash, and rundown cars. Where there used to be a living, breathing city was now a ghost town. The only sign of life where the searchlights of the patrols that roamed the streets.

In the middle of it, all was a casino, with at the top the ugliest thing she had ever seen, a giant red fire hydrant. Knowing that Muggshot is a dog the gang deduced that he would probably be holed up in there, a good place to look over his kingdom.

They only needed to get up there and steal whatever they were here for. She had made it clear to Sly she wanted to be there when he was going to confront him.

After assuring her she could be there he left her alone again with his friends. She found herself overlooking the city nothing really else to do. Moving her hands through her fur she felt how rough it had become. She really didn't like this climate, too hot and sandy.

Give her a good mountain with snow as cold as possible and she would be in her element. She could already imagine skiing down a snow-white mountain after that enjoying a cup of warm chocolate milk.

Shaking herself out of her daydream she wiped the sand off her pants and made her way back to the van.

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He didn't know what to make off her, she just came out of nowhere. The island itself was already difficult for them to get to, and she just arrived on it in a fridge. He was a turtle of science, things like that only happened in movies. It would be like saying that ghosts really existed or that you could travel in time, ridiculous.

But he would put up with her for now. Murray liked her a lot even defending her to join them on their journey. It was really surprising to see his shy friend stand up for her.

Maybe it was even good for Sly, someone besides them that could take his mind off the mission for a couple of hours. He tried to hide it from his friends, but they saw that confronting his parent's killers was taking a toll on him. He took all responsibility not wanting to put pressure on his friends. While they were right here if he needed help.

"Hey, Bentley. Don't tell me the master thieves got their van stolen."

Looking up he saw that Samantha had joined him again. _'It's only for one heist.'_

"No, Murray was hungry so he took it to find something to eat."

That looked like it satisfied her answer, now she could leave him alone so he could prepare the heist further.

Once they were inside the casino they still needed to find a way up to the penthouse, according to the blueprints, there was no elevator. Or where there should have been one was replaced by a statue of Muggshot's own face. Talking about an ego.

Samantha positioned herself next to him, veering over to see what was on his computer screen. "So what are you doing."

Letting out a sigh he could only think how many times he did it since meeting her "None of your business, don't you have anything else to do to keep yourself busy."

"Oh, yeah I had so much fun playing with that tumble weed over there. But then I thought 'You know what, I have so much fun why don't I share it with my best friend Bentley.'"

"That's good to hear, you're having fun, so now leave me alone." If she wanted to play hard he could too.

"Fine, I just wanted to see if I could do anything. I am so bored, I want to do something useful"

Rolling his eyes he looked around for something to keep her busy. Why did Murray have to take the van? "Fine here take a look at these plans I need to find a way to get at the top of the building, but I can't find any way up. It looks like they removed the elevator."

"Ok, give it here I'll take a look." removing the blueprints from his hands she hunched over them to find any trace of a way up.

While he returned to the little pet project. It was more difficult then he expected. They had not looked at money when they designed the security of it. He would lie if denied if he wasn't enjoying himself with the challenge.

He was finally getting into it when the blueprint was dropped over his laptop. Closing the screen immediately he looked at her "What now, I am busy."

"I think I found it." She said full conviction.

"Really, so how do we get up?"

"Simple, we use the elevator."

Bentley looked at her full frustration. "Last time I looked they removed the elevator don't you see it." He grabbed the blueprint pointing at middle off the foyer.

"But what if they didn't remove the elevator." She took the plans from his hands. "I was once contacted by a company SecuroServ. A really shady company, the representative was a real sleazeball. But they specialized in everything security. From software to on-site security."

Bentley was starting to lose his patience with her winded explanation. "And, what has this to do with an elevator?"

She glared daggers at him "If you would let me finish, One of their products was a special kind of elevator that was hidden in the wall, detectable only by x-rays. They would build it into the wall or hide it behind a piece of art."

Finally getting his interest he took the plans from her hands. Looking them over his eyes fell on a company name in little letters 'SecuroServ.' "They didn't remove the elevator…"

"They hid it behind his ugly mug." Sam finished his sentence.

He grabbed his head in hands in frustration. "How could I have been so stupid. It was right in front of me." Reopening his laptop he started to look up everything he could about the company and how their products worked.

Forgetting about Samantha, he looked back over to see she was gone, to talk to Murray who had returned with the van and a key. 'Maybe she isn't so bad after all.' with that last thought he returned to update his plans.

* * *

His mind was racing a hundred miles an hour. Projecting his fears to every shadow in the street, making it move, seeing a couple of eyes, hearing someone run away. 'It's all in my mind.' he kept repeating to himself.

For the moment he was running through the streets, as fast as he could. He had to get to the key, his friends were counting on him. *Blam* a garage door opened itself showing an angry looking dog behind it.

Inside he was screaming to himself to act but his body wouldn't move an inch. The guard's eye fell on him getting an angry snarl in return. Readying its weapon the guard started running in his direction. He was done for it just a couple of steps and he would be on him. Closing his eyes he waited for the hit.

He heard the shot, it felt like hours were passing by. Opening his fingers he looked through them to see where the wound was only to see the guard unconscious in front of him.

His binocucom crackled to life, hearing Sly's reassuring voice. "Hey buddy, are you alright"

Taking in a big breath to calm his nerves he opened the device. "I'm fine Sly, thanks to you."

The shudders were still going through his body. He needed some time before he could continue. "I only need to rest a little, and I am back to normal."

"Just take your time, I'll keep an eye on your surroundings so you don't get jumped on." with that the binocucom became silent again. Grasping a nearby light pole, he started concentrating on his breathing. _'I need to do this.'_

The road ahead was filled with more shadows and nooks and crannies where muggshots goons could be waiting. this prospect brought the fear back to him. Feeling his muscles block.

The binocucom crackled to life again. "Hey big guy, are you alright?" sounded Samantha's soft voice in his ear.

"I am f-fine" he stuttered in the microphone.

"Okay, that's good, just listen to my voice everything is alright. We are here for you." His whole body started to relax knowing that he wasn't alone. "We have all the time in the world just breath in and breath out."

Changing his breathing to fall in line with her voice everything started to relax, a weight fell off his shoulders. "Can you continue? Bentley says you're the only one who can do it."

"I'm fine, I am continuing." With that, he ran further down the streets. Ignoring the footsteps behind him, trusting Sly to take care of them. And every sound he heard was replaced by a gunshot.

Reaching the building Bentley had shown him, he used the nearby crane to lift him up to top of the buildings. Continuing his journey accross the rooftops accompanied by Sly's gunshots.

At the last building, he saw the key just laying there like someone had forgotten it. Wasting no time he made his way to it, bending over he picked it expecting an ambush. But nothing happened.

"Sly, I got it." He happily shouted over the binocucom, while lifting it in the air so he could see it from his elevated position.

"Well done Murray." Sly's voice came over from the other side.

"I knew you could do it." Joined Sam's voice in the conversation.

"Not without you, you really helped me there," Murray said gratefully.

"That's what friends are for."

* * *

" Well, well, well... look who just walked into my crosshairs... Sly Cooper!" A latina voice belonging to Carmelita Fox, could be heard over the rooftops surrounding the casino.

If there was one thing Sly could always count on was that Carmelita would find them wherever they were. "About time you showed up, Ms. Fox. Was getting worried about you. Thought you took a wrong turn somewhere back in Paris."

"The only one making wrong turns is you, Sly. I'd suggest you surrender before I paralyze with my good friend the shock pistol." She emphasized her point by pointing the weapon right at him.

"Now see, a girl whose best, friend's a firearm's got issues. A little dinner, a little dancing and I think I can help you out." he cheekily remarked.

"mmm, Sounds romantic. As long as you don't mind dining… in jail!" Carmelita shot right back to him.

"I like her." Came a voice from in his ear.

"Nah, I hear the service is lousy."

Carmelita was getting annoyed with the raccoon's remarks. "Once I catch you, you'll know for yourself." With that she pulled the trigger of her firearm, releasing an electric bolt in his direction.

Moving just out of the way of the blast, he started running across the roofs. The inspector hot on his tail, shouting for him to stop while shooting her dangerous electric shocks in his direction.

"I have a feeling she doesn't like you." the little voice in his ear said.

"She will come around, no one can resist my charms." He already imagined her rolling her eyes on the other side. "Not I don't enjoy your lovely voice but where is Bentley?"

"Well, I was bored so I asked him nicely if I could help him with something, like talk to you during the heist. He didn't like that idea something about an too important job. But then his glasses mysteriously disappeared so while Murray and he are looking for them I took over his job." She dramatically told her story.

This got a small smile on his face, feeling a little bad for Bentley, still, he knew how Bentley could get a little overzealous with not trusting people. It wouldn't hurt anyone.

"So anything you want to talk about?" He asked just dodging another shot from Carmelita.

"Well, we can start by telling me who she is."

He arrived at a billboard climbing it with ease jumping to the next building. "Oh, you don't need to get jealous, I only have an eye for you."

This got a snort out of her. "Be serious for a moment and just answer my question."

"That beautiful lady that is currently shooting at me, is called Carmelita Fox. She works for Interpol and has a little bit of an obsession with me."

"If she's Interpol, she can help me." Sam's voice filled with a little bit of hope.

"Definitely, for the short period I have known her she is one of the best inspectors you'll ever meet." The admiration could be heard in his voice. "When this heist is over the first thing you should do is find her."

Jumping to a nearby balcony, he couldn't see Carmelita anymore, taking in a little rest. She wasn't easy to get rid off. He continued his way through the building avoiding the many holes.

Climbing to the lights above he passed by a large window only to be ambushed again by her. "Stand still Cooper."

Making his way further he jumped from light to light making it to the roof. Having set his sights on the key he crossed the roofs dodging the electric bolts again.

Reaching for the key it was shot away by Carmelita. "You don't think I would leave you so easily."

His eye landed on cable holding a nearby balloon in muggshot's image, where she was coincidentally standing on. "I'm sorry ms. Fox but our playtime is over for today." With that, he brought his cane down on the cable disconnecting the balloon from the building sending it on its way.

"I'm going to hunt you down Cooper, you can't run forever." She yelled in his direction.

"I'm counting on it, Ms. Fox." He greeted her goodbye. Grabbing the key he made his way down.

"Sam are you still there?" He asked, not hearing her for a couple of minutes.

"I'm here, just thinking." She stated. "It sounded like you had it all handled."

"We should get some dinner sometime." Sly suddenly said.

"I'm not interested in your advances, Sly." She simply stated.

"I mean we should go eat something like friends. It doesn't mean because you return to your previous life that we can't be friends." Sly defended himself.

He could hear laugh silently. "Why not, when this is all over we should get something to eat. Just as friends" she emphasized at the end.

This brought a giant smile on his face. "I know a really good place in Paris."

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING! GIVE THAT HERE." The connection broke off. It sounded like Bentley had found out about her ruse.

* * *

 **Leave a review, so I know you are enjoying the story, what I can improve or just tell me what you think about it.**


	9. Chapter 9: Last Call

**grapejuice101: Good to hear you enjoy the story until now. Hopefully, you'll also enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

 **Last Call**

"It's time."

Looking up she saw the last key twirling around Sly's finger. The last one stopping them from reaching Muggshot.

Sly got it last night. She wanted to leave immediately to confront the brute but Sly and Bentley talked her out of it. Saying that Sly needed some rest, having been awake the whole night collecting keys, even he needed some shut-eye. And Bentley needed some time to apply the finishing touches to the plan.

Sly even tried to convince her to stay with Bentley and Murray, not feeling comfortable with taking someone who couldn't defend herself. She kindly reminded him that she was the one who took out the two guards on the Isle of Wrath. After a couple of minutes going back and forth between them, he finally caved in, under the condition she would follow his instructions to the letter.

Getting up from her sitting position she followed him outside, Bentley was in his usual place typing away on his laptop. While Murray was busy getting the van ready to leave the place once they had finished their business with Muggshot.

"Are you ready" A little bit of worry could be seen in Sly's eyes "It's going to be dangerous. Once we leave, we can't return."

"I'm ready." Her eyes were filled with determination, she wouldn't back off, not now.

Sly turned to his friends. "You guys make sure everything is ready to leave? We don't want to take any risk."

Bentley mumbled a low yes, while Murray gave them toothy smile holding his thumb up.

"Off we are then." He gave her concerned look before leaving for the city.

Not wanting to lose him she stuck to him like his shadow. Arriving at a bridge, sly indicated she needed to be quiet. Following him to a car wreck, she peeked over it to see a guard patrolling the bridge. "You stay here while I go take him out."

Giving him a nod, he moved quietly over to the guard who had his back turned to them. He successfully made his way to the unaware dog, when suddenly a car alarm went off in the distance, getting the guard's attention.

She held her breath in anticipation when the guard turned around his flashlight falling on the raccoon who had just positioned his cane to knock him out.

"What the .." "SLY!" The guard aimed his gun right at him. With masterfully acrobats he started dodging shot after shot, closing in on the angry dog. *Click* *Click* *Click* was the last thing she heard before Sly knocked him out in one fell swoop.

He motioned her to come over. Running to him she gave him a light punch on his shoulder.

"Ouch", he started rubbing the sore spot. "What was that good for?"

"For making me worry. That's why." She angrily stated still feeling her heart beat in her chest. It was a long time ago she felt this worry. "Don't do that ever again."

His confused look was replaced by his trademark smile. "You were worried about me, weren't you."

"Of course I was, I still need you to get to Muggshot." This got a laugh from him, grabbing her hand he lead her to the entrance of the casino. The whole entrance was demolished, the culprit was the car parked in the foyer of the casino. Going through the debris they arrived at the foyer, she recognized from Bentley's blueprints.

Bringing the binocucom up to his face, he started talking to Bentley. "Would you look at that ugly mug." She couldn't hear what there was being said between the two, but she saw him looking at the most atrocious thing she had ever seen in her life. At the top of the middle stairs was an enlarged face of who she presumed was Muggshot.

Making her way over it she put hands on it feeling for any way to open it. Knocking on it a hollow sound returned, confirming her theory.

"I'm on it." With that Sly stashed his binocucom away and made his way over to the front desk. Jumping over it he made his way to a wooden panel equipped with seven locks. Entering the keys he collected during the night the wall flipped over revealing a lever.

"Bingo." With that, he flipped it. A whole series of clicking sounds could be heard through out the wall, making its way to the face. Backing away from the monstrosity, she looked in awe how the face opened up revealing a walkway to the elevator.

Moving to it, Sly grabbed her arm. "You are staying here."

"What do you mean, I'm staying here!" She didn't like where this was going.

"It's too dangerous, you are staying here."

"I can handle myself. Thank you very much."

She tried to move further but his grip was surprisingly firm. "I know you can handle yourself, but I need to do this alone." His eyes had no room for discussion.

"You promised me I was going to get answers." Samantha tried to argue.

"And I promise you will get your answers. He is my responsibility I need to face him alone. Once I am done I'll come and get you and you can ask him anything you want." There it was again she saw the hardness returning to the normally laid-back raccoon. He wasn't doing all of this just for the kicks, there was something more to it.

"And why do you need to do this alone, I am here I can help you, don't you trust me?"

"I trust you, you trust me?"

She thought a couple of seconds about it. Did she trust him? She never questioned this she just followed with the flow of events. "I don't know." She answered honestly.

A little bit of hurt could be seen in his eyes. "I promise you, I won't betray you."

With that she reluctantly gave in "Fine, I'll stay here." She said in a defeated tone. "If you need help. I'm here, okay?"

"I'll be right back." Giving her one last smile he ran to the elevator. Leaving her alone in the empty lobby.

* * *

This was it, the elevator started going in motion bringing him to the second member of the fiendish five. Gone was his relaxed posture, he was pure focus for the confrontation that was to come.

His memories going back to that wretched night. His father opening the door only to be struck down by those shadowy figures still haunting his dreams. He could still hear the screams of his father and mother while he hid in the closet. They took everything from him, his childhood, his parents, his heritage.

Tonight he would be one step closer to getting back at least one part of what he lost. The elevator doors opened, indicating he had arrived on the top floor. The room itself was one of the last remnants of the city's better times.

His eyes fell on him Muggshot, sitting his throne-like room. The brute's eyes met his, making a scowl appeared on his face. "What, my boys have been yapping about some big mysterious dude running around, cracking skulls, and, and this is it? You're the monkey wrench in my operation? Some scrawny rat with a stick."

He shifted his body more to the front of his chair to get a better look at him. "Wait. Wait a second. I've seen that stick before."

He tightened his grip on the cane. "Maybe when my father knocked your block off with it."

A sign of recognition appeared on the dog's face. "Your father? Wow, you're a Cooper? You know that thingus Raccamagoocus had a lot of nice pictures but way too many big words.

If he could manipulate the musclehead in giving him what he wanted this would be easier than he thought. "So you don't mind just handing it over."

"What are you kidding? You break into my place. Steal my stuff. Trash the joint. I feel transgressed and violated. Let's rock!" With that, he raised himself of his self-made throne. Using his arms as makeshift legs, he made his way to sly, his little legs dangling under his body.

An iron fence dropped down, blocking the way back to the elevator or any other part of the room. Pulling out two machine guns, Muggshot let out a high pitched howl firing both of them in the air giving him the appearance of a mob gangster.

If he wanted to fight he could get a fight. Wasting no time he ran straight towards the mobster, dodging the machine gun bullets in the process, using the same acrobatics as with the guard, he got in striking distance. In one fell swoop, he brought his cane down, one knockout and it would be over.

That was not what happened, it felt like he hit concrete, feeling the vibrations go through his staff straight to his arm, almost losing his grip on it.

"Hehehe, that tickled. Now it's my turn." Raising his tiny legs he kicked Sly right in the face. Unholstering his guns the crossfire continued.

"Muggshot's too strong, you need to get out there, it's too dangerous." Bentley's nasally voice sounded over his binocucom.

"No!, I can't back off now." Looking around his eye fell on a scaffolding holding the room's lights. "I need to get the high ground."

Running over to a support beam, he climbed his way up getting out of the reach off Muggshot's guns. "Where do you think you are going, I'm not done with you yet." Throwing away his weapons he moved back to his chair out off Sly's view.

He just needed to find a way to defeat the musclehead, first things first he needed to calm down it would take a while for Muggshot to get up here, time for him to come up with a plan.

Looking downstairs he couldn't find a single sign of the brute. _'Where did he go?'_

His question was answered when a screeching sound cut through the silence. "Just my luck" At the end of the floor an elevator appeared bringing the bulking mass of muscle to his level.

*Click* *Click* "Round two, here we go" With that the sound of machine guns firing started again, the bullets flying around Sly.

Just in time, he could find a hiding spot behind one of the giant lamps scattered throughout the area.

Sly opened the communication line with Bentley. "Bentley, do you have any plan to defeat the big guy."

"I looked at the blueprints, and one thing took my attention. Do you see these giant lamps around you."

"Yeah, the whole place is littered with them. What do you want me to do with them?"

"These lamps are high voltage lamps can be used to light up a whole street, the downside is they produce a lot of heat."

Sly started to catch up on his friend's idea. "If we can position them at Muggshot we can literally cook him." Looking at one of the lamps he saw a small problem in their plans. "The only thing is they aren't lit at the moment. Do you know where the on switch is?"

"Wait a moment." It was silent for a moment giving Sly the time to look where his opponent was. Muggshot was starting to make his way to Sly's current position. Not wanting to risk to be detected be him, he sneaked around the lamps to the other side of the floor, away from Muggshot giving him an extra couple of minutes to come up with a plan.

"The on switch is positioned in the… basement." Of course. "Don't worry about it make sure that Muggshot doesn't get you, we'll make sure those lamps will come on."

Peeking from his hiding space he noticed that Muggshot had started to patrol the walkway methodical, trying to find him. "Okay, I'm counting on you guys." With that he disconnected the connection again, ready to continue the cat and mouse game.

* * *

She couldn't believe that Sly had left her behind. For the last couple minutes, she was having an internal conflict if she should have followed him or not.

After almost taking the elevator for the fifth time she decided to occupy herself with counting the crystals in the chandelier hanging above the room. She gave up after 245, her mind again wandering to the elevator.

Making up her mind she made her way to the metal box for the sixth time. 'If he has it handled I just stay out of his way, if not it's good I am there to help him.' With that final thought, she moved her finger to activate the elevator.

When suddenly the doors at the front burst open revealing Murray. Putting her hand between the doors preventing them from closing she ran over to the pink hippo.

"What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" It took a couple of seconds for him to answer totally out of breath from running all the way to the casino. "Sly needs.. my help.., I need.. to activate.. the lamps in the basement." With that, he started making his way to a metal door, tucked away behind the front desk.

She started to follow him, only for him to stop her. "It's too dangerous down there, I need to do this alone." Opening the door it revealed a stair going down into a black pit. Sounds of electricity and machines could be clearly heard coming from the darkness.

She heard him sallow away his fear. Not letting her be bossed around anymore, she made her way to the desk taking two flashlights from one of the drawers, turning one on she shone it down the entrance, revealing the stairs going further down. Giving the other one to Murray.

"If you think you can leave me behind, like your friend you have another think coming." With that, she started her descend. Having no answer for her reaction, he was flabbergasted for a moment. Shaking himself from his stupor he followed her.

Shining the light there was not much to see. The stairs ended in a hallway filled with boxes and chairs where spiders made their new home.

Wasting no time she continued further into the basement following the sounds of the machines.

After a couple of seconds, the basement opened up revealing the source of the sound. The room looked straight out of 'Frankenstein'. Four rows of generators were running, generating electricity, expelling it through wires running from machine to machine, creating a spider web of electricity.

"So where is this switch."

Murray aimed his light on a red object at the other side of the room. "Right there."

"Great." The red object was blocked by the electricity. "How are we going to do this."

"I'll do it." Murray stated full conviction.

Taking one look between him and the hazardous room she concluded that he would never get through it without being zapped like a fly. "You'll never get through it, I'll do it."

"What if you get hurt." he started to panic a little.

Taking his hand, they looked into each other's eyes "Listen to me the longer we wait here, the more chance Muggshot is going to get him. So I'm going in." With that, she let go of him and made her way to the first row of machines.

The electricity was so intense she could hear it zap through the wires. Turning around giving a thumbs up to the hippo, she jumped between the first interruption of lethal voltage.

"One down three to go." How faster she was out of this the better. Looking at the next row, the electricity was going off and on in more random cycles making the timing that more difficult.

After the cycle repeated itself for the fifth time she thought she saw her opening. Wasting no time she took the step.

Arriving in the second row, she was just in time feeling little sparks of electricity hitting her tail. Taking it between her hands she started to rub it trying to get the numbness out of it.

Turning back she saw the fear and guilt in the hippo's eye. She couldn't turn back now pressing on she repeated the method for the third row. This one was a lot easier making it swiftly without any injury through it.

Now for the last row, it did two short intervals with one long after it. This one would be also in an easy one. Wasting no time she took a step forward in the clear space she had. When suddenly the electricity started up again right in front of her.

She felt her body go right into it, the momentum of her step pushing her forward. "Sam!" She heard Murray cry out seeing what she was doing, having no way to stop her.

Her reflexes kicked in, positioning her arms on the machines to stop her body. Her nose stopped just in front off the lethal voltage, feeling the airs on her nose rise up from the static.

She heard Murray and herself let out a sigh of relief at the same time. Pushing herself back up she studied the cycle again. After every 3rd time, there was an extra surge of electricity that almost fried her.

Being sure this time she stepped forward again, this time getting through it without a problem. The switch was right in front of her, wasting no time she flipped it. Shutting the generators down plunging the whole room in darkness.

* * *

"You little rat, stay still and fight like a man." For the last couple of minutes, Sly was dodging the angry pitbull's bullets. It didn't take long for him to be found with the few hiding spaces he had to work with.

"Calm down, can't we just discuss this as a pair of civilized people." Sly tried to reason with the angry dog while dodging another bullet.

"Discuss this!" With that, he fired off another bullet corning the raccoon in a corner of the scaffolding. There was no way down from, the support beams where to far away and the elevator Muggshot used was on the other side of the floor.

Looking from behind his hiding spot he pulled his head back in just in time, to dodge a bullet. "I got you now, nowhere to hide."

He could hear the brute's heavy footsteps come in his direction. This was really it, he failed on his second heist. ' _How pathetic'._

"Nowhere to run." He looked to his left looking right into the barrel of a machine gun. "Do you have any last prayers."

"Well, If you would just let me go and give me my page, that would be very friendly." He tried in a last effort.

This got a chuckle out of him. "Your funny rat, but there is no way I'll let you get out of here alive."

*Click* With those last words he armed his guns ready to fire. Sly closed his eyes waiting for the shot. When suddenly a humming sound could be heard through the whole room.

Suddenly a large bright light flickerd on below them. Looking down a smile appeared on the raccoon's face. _'They have done it.'_

Below them, the giant room lights started turning on one by one. Taking advantage of Muggshot being distracted, Sly wasted no time. Jumping to one of the giant lamps, he gripped the handlebars around it. "Hey, muggshot." Getting the dog's attention looking right at him. "Hope you brought sunglasses."

He looked confused at him, finally understanding what was going to happen. He still tried to move his arms in front of his eyes but it was too late. The stage light shone right into his face blinding him from his surroundings. The heat of the lamp started to heat up his weapons. The dog released his guns the heat becoming too much.

Strolling over to Muggshot he lifted his cane up, bringing it full force down on his knee. The little legs not capable of taking the damage failed him, bringing him down. "If you just had given me the page, this could have all been avoided." With that, he brought the cane down on the dog's head knocking him out.

* * *

"Where am I." the room was spinning around him, making him almost puke.

"You're finally awake." A feminine voice sounded in front of him. Looking up a grey blob was the only thing he could see. Trying to rub his eyes he felt that his arms were constricted behind his back.

"What the hell is going on?" The last thing he remembered was that annoying rat that was trying to rob him, put a bright light right in his face. A searing pain in his right knee and then darkness.

Blinking his eyes the grey blob turned out to be a grey wolf. "Who are you?"

A snarl appeared on the woman's snout, "I am the one asking the questions here."

"I would do what she tells you, you wouldn't want to make her angry." He remembered that voice. Looking to his left he saw that annoying raccoon lounged in his chair reading the page he was so desperately after.

"Why are you in my chair, get out of their immediately." This got him a slap in the face from the wolf.

"Ignore him, you are talking to me." Feeling the sting on his face he put his attention back on her. "Why did my uncle, hire you?"

He didn't know what the girl was going on and her nagging started to hurt his head. "How the hell should I know your uncle, if I don't even know who you ate." This got him another hit in the face this time using her fist.

"You were expecting someone to be delivered to you three days ago." He looked deep in thought trying to remember if he was expecting someone. When realization dawned on him.

"Your that girl I needed to crack, aren't you?"

"How the tables have turned hasn't it." He saw the anger rise in her eyes. But if she thought he was going to give in that easily.

"Do your worst." He challenged her.

She felt her hand itching to hit him again, but deep down she knew that he probably could take the violence. "I intend to do so."

With that threat, she moved to behind, out of his sight. He heard her move around in a bag of some sort searching for something. This made him more excited to see what for torture device she was going to use to make him talk.

"Here it is." With that, she moved back in front of him. All the blood left his face at the sight of the object her hands.

"What are you planning to do with that." He kept it in his sight on it making sure she didn't make any unexpected moves, moving his face as far back from her as he could.

"Well, I thought you could use a makeover, that gangster look is so last year. Why don't we start with that mustache." She opened and closed the scissors in her hands to emphasize her point. She started to come closer reading the scissors.

"Stay away from me, you are crazy, keep that thing away." He looked with desperation at the raccoon. "Keep her away, you can't let her do this."

Sly looked at him disinterested "Just answer her questions and she'll leave you alone."

The scissors were now around one part of his glorious mustache. "Fine, fine I'll answer." She moved away at those words. "What do you want to know."

"Simple, I just want to know what the relationship is between you and my uncle."

"Your uncle, who is your uncle?"

She readied the scissors again. "Calm down, lady. If I don't know who your uncle is I can't answer now can I?"

She was starting to lose her patience with the brute. "My uncle is the guy for who you needed to break me. Now answer my question."

This got a confused look on his face. "Are you sure you are his niece?" This got her to threaten him with the scissors again.

"Just answer the question."

"Fine, fine, He's a member of the fiendish five."

This got Sly's attention. "What do you mean he's a member of the fiendish five. There were only five members that night."

"He didn't want anything to do with the heist on your parents, that's why he wasn't there. The idiot only cares about his money, if it doesn't make him profit he doesn't put any effort into it." Muggshot glared at Sly.

"What's his role in your organization?" Sam joined in.

"Supposedly he's good with money or something, that's why he became our treasurer."

"But why would you call yourself the fiendish five if you are with six," Sly asked.

Muggshot raised his shoulders. "Simple, he joined after the gang was created, we just didn't want to change the name."

"You can testify against him, you can prove that he wanted to kidnap me?" Sam asked he saw the hope rising in her eyes.

"HAHAHAHA" The bulldog started to laugh as if he heard the funniest joke ever. "No way, I'm betraying any of them."

She got so close yet so far again. " Do you want me to trim that ugly thing or not?"

He stopped laughing getting a lot more serious "Try your worst, for everything you do they will do it double back to me. Some people you just don't cross. I hope for you, you never meet them."

She saw the conviction his eyes, he was so afraid of someone or something that he wouldn't even dare to betray any of his colleagues.

They were at a standoff the room went quiet the both of them waiting for the other to make a move. "We need to go." Sly tugged her turned around to meet his eyes, again that hardness returned he knew about who Muggshot was talking. " "We got what we came for, he won't tell you any more."

"I'm not done yet." The anger resurfacing, she moved her arm back, hitting Muggshot straight in the face knocking him out this time.

* * *

This time he woke up to a lot more sound, sirens were going off all around him. "We found him." Came a gruff voice, it wasn't the wolf or raccoon. So who was bothering him this time?

Opening his eyes he was met with the sight of multiple police officers surrounding him, led by a fox aiming a red gun right at his face.

The fox took out a walkie-talkie bringing it to her face "We have found Muggshot, we are bringing him in for custody now."

With that the officers started moving onto him keeping the guns trained on him, one of the officers started removing his binds from the chair. The most peculiar thing was that a couple of the less professional ones started snickering after taking a look at his face.

"What's so funny?" he shouted at them, scaring a couple of them back.

The fox moved forward holding a mirror in her hand. "Look for yourself."

Looking at it he wished he hadn't. The right side of his mustache and the left side off his unibrow where shaved off.

"That bitch, I'm going to kill her!" five officers jumped on him preventing from breaking free. Another five were needed to escort him to the police car, during this whole process he kept screaming what he would do if he ever saw her again.

* * *

 **Leave a review, so I know you are enjoying the story, what I can improve or just tell me what you think about it.**


	10. Chapter 10: Red and Blue

**CrazyQuilava:** Thanks for the support, hope you'll enjoy the next chapters.

 **Sorry for the long wait. Life got a little bit in the way, but I finally found time to finish this chapter. Hope you guys enjoy it.**

* * *

 **Red and Blue**

"I'm coming home."

The silence was deafening, she just wanted him to say something, anything. "That's good, Do I need to come and get you? Where are you now?"

The relief could be heard in his voice, happy that she finally decided to return. She had enough time to think about it on the long drive back to civilization. She was no step closer to having anything against the person she used to call uncle.

The more she dug in his secrets, the more she started to fear for her life. If he was prepared to align himself with an organization like the fiendish five, she didn't want to know what he would do just to get his hands on her money.

It was time to get external help. "I am on my way to Salt Lake City. I'll try to find a police station there, I'll do my story and it will all be over," she said more to myself than to him, trying to build up some courage.

"That's good, that's good.. you do that. I'll get there as fast as possible." He sounded nervous, tired. The guilt returned overwhelmingly most off her nervousness. She couldn't imagine how Sebastian would feel right, she owned him and explanation when she returned.

"I need to go now, I'll meet you in Salt Lake City, oke?"

"Just a little bit longer and everything will be over. The police will no what to do and, I'll make sure that bastard won't dare to hurt you anymore." A small smile appeared on her lips.

"Just be careful, we don't know what he will do just to get me."

"Always" With that little reassurance, she clicked the phone in the horn leaving the phone booth, making her way back to the van.

The escape from Mesa City went smoothly enough they were long gone before the police arrived making it an easy drive to their destination.

She was exhausted, keeping up the facade for Sly and his friends, they didn't need to worry about her. They had their own problems, it would be selfish to put her problems on top of theirs. No, it was time to say goodbye.

"Are you ready." Sly jumped from his position on the hood.

With a nod she entered the van, leaving the rest to follow her. "Okay then.." the friends looking at each other for an explanation for her downbeat behavior. None of them having an idea what was going on they decided to just get on the road.

The ride was quiet too quiet to Sly's liking. Looking at Sam he saw her sadness, this had been the status since they left Mesa City. he saw the hatred in her eyes, trying to convince her to leave, before she did anything to Muggshot she would later regret. Once her anger was cooled down she just became sad.

He knew that she needed some alone time, still, it felt weird that they would leave on such a sour note. For the short time, he had known her she had grown on him. She was quick on her feet and even quicker in her responses. Even her stubbornness he had grown to love, looking at her now, all of that was gone.

An idea popped into his head, it always cheered him up, so it could work. Whispering his idea in Murray's ear the hippo nodded in confirmation before going off the main road into a side dirt road.

* * *

After a 10 minute drive, the van came to a stop. "We're here," Sly said full enthusiasm, getting a confused look from Sam in return.

"We're in Salt Lake city already?"

Opening the van door, her eyes fell on a little shop in the middle of miles of cornfields. "Somewhere even better."

She couldn't get a good view of the shop itself, with Sly almost ripping her arm off, trying to get her as fast as possible inside. The inside itself was plain looking nothing special it consisted off a counter, with behind it a whole pallet of ice cream flavors.

"Welcome to my little shop. How can I help you?" The female elderly pig asked from behind the counter, like a grandmother talking to her grandchildren.

"Hi, I would like two scoops of chocolate." With that, she nodded and started preparing the order. "What do you want? The chocolate here is amazing."

Finally getting her bearings on the onslaught of new information. "I don't have time for this, why are we even here?"

"Ice cream!" He stated like it explained everything.

Having enough of it she made her way back to the exit. He grabbed her arm before she could open the door. "Wait, wait, just relax. It's not like the police will run away or anything and besides I wanted to end our little journey on a high note."

She hesitated for a moment. "Vanilla. I want three scoops a vanilla."

This got a grin eating smile on his face. "Three scoops of vanilla for milady here."

Saying goodbye they left the shop making way for Bentley and Murray to make their order. Grabbing her hand again he dragged her off into the fields. "Where are we going now?"

"Just you wait, you'll love it." He reassured her. Moving to the top of a hill, they arrived at one of his favorite places.

The view before them was a sea of red flowers, for miles the field was filled with poppies. She was speechless at the beautiful landscape.

He guided her to a little bench overlooking the field, enjoying there ice cream and each others company.

"How did you know about this place?"

"My parents introduced me to this place. It was one of their favorite places, whenever they went on holiday in the states they tried to pass by." He smiled fondly thinking of the times they had dragged him here. Never really having appreciated the view. It took their death for him to see the beauty that they tried to show him.

Feeling a little bit of pressure on his hand he looked down to see her hand had enveloped his. His eyes went up, meeting hers in the process. One of the first things he noticed was how beautiful her blue eyes where. Looking at them he felt himself drown in them. The moment lasted only for a second when she turned her head back to the field. Releasing his hand in the process, he already missed the feeling.

"You know a little part of me is going to miss this" Sam interrupted the silence. "I want to return to my normal life, but somewhere deep in my mind is a little voice who says I don't want to go. Stupid isn't it?" She looked at him for confirmation.

"No, it's not." He hesitated a little, thinking how he would explain it. "I felt the same way when I was in the orphanage. I got this feeling of uselessness. My life was made miserable by Ms. Puffin. She would scold us almost every day, that we needed to stay out of trouble. That if we didn't behave nobody would ever try to adopt us."

"I hated her guts, I remember she loved eating cookies. So in one of our childish retaliation, we decided to steal her cookie jar. Bentley made this whole plan with crayons, Murray was so hungry he started eating them." Sam could only smile at his enthusiastic explanation.

"With a cable attached to me I entered the office, Bentley and Murray were waiting for me outside with a tricycle. I jumped from desk to lamp, to the bookcase where the jar was situated on. And just on that moment, the door started to open. Bentley and Murray started to panic. With a force, I felt myself being dragged back outside. Murray had decided to abort the mission."

"And did you get the cookies." Sam couldn't wait to hear the conclusion.

A cocky smile appeared on his face. "They were the most delicious cookies I ever tasted. Mrs. puffin still found out and chewed us out. Looking back I think she would only want to best for us. Maybe she did it with a harsh hand, I think she only wanted us to find a happy family. And some nights a little voice in my head says I want to return to the orphanage, just lead a simple life. But it's just that a voice. Just like with you, my life is too dangerous you would only get hurt."

It looked like she wanted to ask something, only to look back at the view."We should go." She mumbled absent-minded, "It's still a ways to go and the sun is going down" She ate the last of her cone. He followed her example and they sauntered back down the hill, the good atmosphere they had a couple of minutes ago was gone replaced by the silent trek back down.

"There you are, can we go. I don't want to camp again, and I don't think we can afford to stay much longer." Bentley grumbled why pulling Murray's arm. Looking at the hippo they immediately got what he meant. The big guy's face was covered in ice cream, with a dozen ice cream cone remnants laying around him.

"This is heaven" Were the only words that came out of his mouth.

"Come on big guy, we need to bring our lady back to the city." Sly took his other arm and started to heave the hippo back in the van.

They finally got him in with Sam pushing while the other two pulled him further in.

"Murray I really think it's time to start thinking about a diet." Bentley calmly tried to ease Murray into the idea. Only they got the most dramatic gasp she had ever heard. The look on his face told her enough.

"I need the energy to drive." Murray tried to defend.

"It's not normal." Bentley ignored his friend and continued talking. "We really should go see a doctor."

Sly positioned himself in the driver's seat, a slight smile on his face. "Buckle in children we are leaving." With that, he shifted the van into first gear and left the way they came, after a minute they were back on the main road back on track to Salt Lake City.

The ride itself was calm, except for the occasional grunts and snores from Murray who fell in a food sleep.

* * *

"We have arrived." she felt someone shaking her shoulder a little bit. Looking around trying to find her bearing she realized they had already arrived in Salt Lake City.

It looked like she was more tired than she thought, having followed Murray's example she dozed off not long after him. Looking at the one who woke her up she came eye to eye with Sly's chocolate eyes.

"Hey sleeping beauty, time to wake up." Leaving the van she was met with the cool night air, a pleasant change from the stale air in the van.

Sly had parked the van in a parking lot opposite off the police station. A groggy Murray and Bentley appeared in the van doors, rubbing the sleep out of their eyes.

"So this is our second goodbye." Sly hugged her out of nowhere. "Make sure that we don't need to save you again oke?"

She rolled her eyes at his remark. He started to remove his hands from her when Murray joined them in the hug, squeezing them closer to each other. Her body was in a really bad position, squirming a little she repositioned herself to move her arm around the Hippo's body, while her other arm was around Sly, making it a real group hug.

Looking around she saw Bentley being his grumpy self, looking at their little spectacle. "Are you going to keep staring at us like that or are you finally joining." She released her arm from Sly's embrace, waving it for him to join them.

He rolled his eyes a little but didn't make a move.

"Come on, I see you want in on this amazing hug." She joked, trying to get him out of his sour mood. Waving her hand again she pressured him.

The other two just looked at the turtle and wolf's interaction. After a couple of seconds looking at them, Bentley finally caved in. With a little grumbled he joined in between Sly and Bentley.

After a couple of minutes, they let each other go. All of them had a sad smile on their face, even Bentley.

"Keep yourself okay, I don't want to know what if I would do if something happens to you." Murray hugged her a more gentle hug this time.

"And you make sure that you keep yourself and the other two safe okay." She whispered in his ear.

Turning to Bentley he just looked like he wasn't in the mood to hug again. "Make sure you keep Sly from doing anything stupid."

A corner of his mouth raised a little at the remark. "Who else would do it?"

She turned back to Sly. "Last but not least, trust your friends a little bit more."

He awkwardly scratched the back of his head "I will, and you make sure you find Carmelita and get that bastard."

With a nod and a quick hug, she turned to the lit up police station. Moving across the street she turned one last time back to the gang, giving them a little wave, getting one in return from all of them.

It was no surprise that the lobby was completely empty the only sign of life was a tv that currently was playing some sort of late night show. Wasting no time she made her way to the front desk.

Looking over the counter she finally noticed a small bunny, trying to fight her boredom with a crossword puzzle. "Hm, excuse me."

The only reaction she got was a quick glance, only for her eyes to immediately return to her book. After a couple seconds, she cleared her throat again.

"I heard you the first time." She stated in a monotone voice.

Sam was getting a little bit irritated. "And would you kindly put away that puzzle and help me."

In return she got the nastiest glare the little thing could muster. To her relief, she complied with her request and retrieved a notepad with a pencil. "So with what can I help you on this wonderful night."

"I would like to speak to Inspector Fox."

"Inspector Fox isn't in for the moment, it's best if you return tomorrow morning." Without missing a beat her notepad was gone and she continued with her crossword puzzle.

"It's important I need to speak with her tonight." If it was needed she would stay the whole night. She was going nowhere without speaking with Carmelita.

The bunny saw she was being serious putting down her game she moved her attention back to Sam. "Inspector Fox is currently busy with another case."

"Could you just call her."

She looked at her like she asked her to murder someone, but with a sigh, she finally took the horn off the phone. Her little fingers ticking off a number in lightning speed "Good evening Inspector, I have a woman here who would like to speak with you."

"Mh, yeah she 'insisting' to speak with you as soon as possible." She looked her over while putting the emphasis on the word. "Have a good evening, Inspector." With that, the conversation was over. The receptionist took her crossword puzzle in the hand again completely ignoring Sam.

"And?" She was starting to lose her patience with the bunny, knowing that the little thing was doing it on purpose.

"Inspector Fox will be here in a half an hour. You can wait here until she arrives."

Having had enough of the receptionist's cold attitude she made her way to one of the many chairs positioned around the room. Her eye fell on the coffee machine she changed her course going straight for the caffeinated beverages.

The machine sputtered to life giving her the so needed drink. Moving to a chair, she put the cup to her lips, letting the hot liquid warm up her throat and tummy. Oh, how did she miss this so much.

The tv was the only thing from making the room completely quiet. An octopus was hosting a cooking show, it couldn't really capture her attention. She was already missing Sly's jokes, Murray's cooking and even Bentley's bossing around. How weird they had grown on her so quickly. Only if Sly's last remark hadn't left a sour taste in her mouth. Now it was clear he didn't want her around.

*grrr* The coffee had moved already to her bladder. After looking around a little bit she found the toilets.

Exiting the restrooms a familiar gruff voice could be heard coming from the lobby."Now listen to me lady, just tell me if she's here or not."

"I don't know who you're talking about, sir. Now would you calm down or do I need to become violent." The monotone voice of the bunny could be heard, with a little bit of anger in her voice.

"I have shown you my certifications, do I need to tell again why this person is a very dangerous criminal." The male voice became more threatening.

"And like I have said to you sir, I haven't seen anyone here tonight, so if you would mind, I would like to continue."

Getting enough courage she peeked around the corner. Seeing the two, filled her with death. Mike and Ike were standing in front of the front desk, having switched their shirts for suits. Her eye fell on a little white tag, with 'FBI' spelled on them in big blue letters.

One of them looked in her direction, retracting her head she hoped he hadn't seen her.

That was immediately crushed by the next spoken words. "Don't worry I've already found her."

Wasting no time she dashed back into the toilets. Putting her back against the door she felt a force on the other side trying to get inside. "I know you are in there just come out and we won't hurt you, don't make it more difficult than it has to be, missy."

She had three options, let them in and do what they say, wait for backup, or find her own way out.

Option one was out of the question, she barely escaped last time, and they wouldn't make that mistake a second time.

"What is going on here, this is a police precinct, not a bar. If you want to make a ruckus you can do that outside." She let out a sigh of relief, maybe the receptionist wasn't as incompetent as she looked. "Now if hear you guys again I am going to call my superiors."

Scratch that she was as incompetent as she looked. If she wasn't holding the door right now she would strangle that little pipsqueak with her own ears.

"Time's up, I am coming in if you want it or not." The pressure on the door stopped, what were they doing. She got the answer when she felt herself jolt forward, feeling the door go out of the lock, giving the rhino's a view in the room.

Wasting no time she retaliated by pushing herself off of one of the toilet stalls. With the added stability she pushed the door back into the lock. A second time one of them rammed the door. A searing pain went through her back to her legs, she could even hear something crunch, hoping that it was the door and not her back.

With every assault, the door started to creak more and more. At the rate it was going she hadn't much time left. So there was only one option left finding a way out, her eye fell on the only window, it was going to be tight but seeing as this was the only exit, besides the door, she had no other choice.

Hearing them back off, indicating they would try to breach the door again she moved away. Wasting no time she moved to the window, luckily it wasn't locked. Once open she started moving through it.

"What the ... " The door flew open, having herself removed as blockage, the two brothers flew right through the door into the toilet stalls. "Get off me, she's getting away!"

Taking one look back she couldn't stop a little grin from appearing on her face. The two rhinos were trying to untangle themselves, giving her plenty enough time to get out of here.

She didn't know where she was going, the only thing in her mind was that she needed to keep moving. Put as much distance between her and the police station. Once she was safe she could think about what do next.

Headlights appeared at the end of the alleyway blocking her way out. Holding her breath she hoped it wasn't them.

"Ride back around I'll make sure she can't escape this way." The heavy voice was unmistakable Mike's. Not wanting to know what they were planning to do with her she bolted away from the car, away from those brutes.

The alleys were dark and hard to navigate, she didn't know where she was the only thing she was sure off, were the heavy footsteps of Mike.

"Don't run away, your only making it harder on yourself." Turning the corner, her eye fell on a side alley, putting in the last of her energy she spurted into it. Hiding behind the dumpsters she held her breath, listening at her pursuer's footsteps.

They stopped for a moment in front of her hiding spot. A flashlight shining right over her. She was petrified, not daring the move praying he would continue his search further.

Her prayers were answered when the light moved away, and the footsteps continued. She wanted to stay in her hiding spot, but knowing if he came back to the streets without having seen her once, he would definitely backtrack.

Peering around the corner she stared right into the darkness. Her heartbeat calmed down a little. Having gathered enough confidence she started running again this time in the opposite direction.

Her first priority to get out of these dark, desolate alleys, to a more public place.

Maneuvering her way back to the streets, the silence was broken only by the beating of her heart in her ears. Until heavy stomps joined the beating. Looking back around, she started to panic again.

"Found you!" The only thing she could see was the light coming closer and closer. The adrenaline coursing through her body raised her energy levels, giving her another chance at escaping.

Rounding another corner, she saw her chance. At the end of the alley, the inviting lights of the street greeted her. Only a couple of steps left. That was until a car backed into her path, blocking the exit.

Turning back was no option, stopping was no option so running was the only thing left to do. There was no way for her to get past the car, she was trapped still she continued hoping for a miracle.

And for the second time that night her guardian angel protected her. This time it came into the form, off Sly wielding a Machine gun out of the back of the car.

Getting closer she recognized the Cooper van. "Duck!" The raccoon screamed. Not needing to say her twice she threw herself on the ground, the bullets starting to fly above her.

She couldn't hear anything besides the bullets leaving the gun, with a sickeningly speed and power. After a couple of seconds the onslaught stopped looking up, she met Sly's brown eyes. Having no energy left, Sly heaved her on his shoulder, dragging her to the safety of the van. Looking around she saw that Mike was still alive, having hidden behind a dumpster. What surprised her the most was that she still felt a little bit of relief at seeing him alive.

"Let's go, Murray, we have attracted more than enough attention for one night." That were the last words she heard before the adrenaline left her body and she fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

It wasn't her night, first Sly escaped her grasp, at least she captured Muggshot, but that brute kept on screaming about the unspeakable things he was going to do if he ever got his hands on the girl. After they finally got him in the paddy wagon, her coffee got cold. And as last, she needed the drive all the way back to salt lake city because of someone who wanted to specifically meet her.

Grumbly she entered the precinct, beelining directly for the reception.

"I was called in for a case."

The bunny was more interested in her crossword puzzle, then doing her job. "I would appreciate it if you could put down your little game and help me."

This got the reaction she wanted, finally, the receptionist put the puzzle down. "How may I help you tonight, Inspector?"

She stopped herself from letting out a sigh. "You called me about a kidnapping?"

The bunny kept staring at her getting no reaction of her.

"Hello, I would like to see that person now."

"She's in the waiting room." She stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Looking around Carmelita only saw an empty room. "If you looked around you would have seen that nobody is here."

Raising herself a little bit the girl looked slowly across the room. "Well would you look at that, you are correct." Without hesitation, she restarted solving her crossword puzzle.

"Where is she now then?" Carmelita whispered through gritted teeth.

"I don't know." The bunny didn't even lift her eyes from her book.

Carmelita was getting nowhere with the woman, and too tired to start a discussion. In the morning she would talk with her superior but for now, she would rest a little bit.

Setting herself down in one of the chairs, her eyes fell on the tv. The news was currently on. It was one of the few times she had time to sit down and watch it, her life was too hectic to follow it every day.

" _In other news, the search for transport mogul, Samantha Steele, still continues. Samantha disappeared two weeks ago when the SS albatross got stuck in the storm. All passengers were accounted for except for Samantha. Edward Steele, uncle of Miss Steele, who has taken over as CEO of Steele transportations until further notice, had the following to say."_

The image switched to Samantha's uncle surrounded by a dozen microphones.

" _We won't stop searching until we find her, alive or ….."_ He left the words hanging, but everybody knew what he meant. _"Anyone who can give me any information about her whereabouts will be compensated."_

The reporters face, reappeared on the tv.

" _Like Mr. Steele has said if anyone has any information about the whereabouts of miss. Steele. You can contact the free number at the bottom of the screen."_

Carmelita felt a little pity for the woman. She could only imagine how the family would be feeling right now. "I hope your alright Ms. Steele wherever you are." She mumbled to herself, dozing off from a long night.

* * *

 **Leave a review, so I know you are enjoying the story, what I can improve or just tell me what you think about it.**


	11. Chapter 11: Deceptions

**MadameMirage77:** I hope you resolved your writer's block. Thanks for the review.

* * *

 **Deceptions**

"Stupid, bitch if I get my hands on her I will kill her. Be damned what the boss wants, I'll kill her with my own bare hands." Mike was dragging himself through the alleys back to where he left his brother. He had her almost in his grasp until that mysterious blue van showed up again.

Limping his way to their car he seated himself in the passenger's seat. "What happened." Ike looked him over with a questioning glance. Looking at his brother's haggard appearance he probably could take a guess at what happened. "And what's that smell."

"That's garbage, Ike, someone else's trash." He was not in the mood for 50 questions today. Ike backed away a little getting the message, opening the car window in the process, trying to combat the stench.

"I almost had her, until those bastards showed up again." He slammed his fist into the dashboard with frustration.

"Who?" Ike questioned him in a calm voice trying to soothe his brother's anger.

"Those meddling idiots from the train of course. They are protecting her." He spat out "If I get my hands on them they will regret that they interfered with our business."

His spat of anger was interrupted by the buzzing of his phone. "Great, of course, he calls right now." Reluctantly he picked up the phone bringing it up to his ear.

"Yeah, boss." a sneer appeared on his face like he ate a lemon.

"We found her in Salt Lake City, but she slipped through our fingers again." Ike couldn't hear the whole conversation but from the shouting on the other side, it didn't sound very good.

"I know, we will get her boss, trust us. we'll find her." With those last words, he slammed the phone back down.

Ike knew his brother was going to chew him out but he still needed to know. "What do we do now?"

Mike was ready to scream and yell at his brother, at the final moment he realized who he was talking to. Getting a deep breath in he regained his calm. "We keep on looking she can't have gone far now can she."

* * *

Come one pick up, again the phone went to the dial tone. She threw the cell phone on the ground, hammering it down with her foot. "Why won't you pick, why won't pick you up".

"Should we stop her." Murray stood ready to grab her to try and calm her down.

"Let her vent for a little while, she'll need it." Bentley stopped his friend.

"Yeah, she needs this." Sly supported his friends, they had stopped in an empty parking garage of a shopping mall. They couldn't stay too long but for now, it would work.

Sly moved his eyes away from the angry wolf, to Bentley who was typing away on his laptop again. "What are you doing?"

Bentley didn't remove his eyes from the screen. "What do you mean?"

"Well last time I checked everything was planned for our next heist, so what have you been losing sleep about the last couple of days?" Sly tried to snatch the computer out off Bentley's hands only for him to slam the screen down, holding it in a firmer grasp.

"It's nothing important, just a personal project. It won't interfere with the heists if you are worried about that."

The trademark cocky smile appeared on Sly's face "Don't worry about it Bentley, I was only interested in what you were doing."

Guilt came over the turtle's face. "It's not finished yet if something comes out of it you guys are the first to know about it. Besides, I think she's done."

Looking up they saw Sam still staring daggers at the phone. Finally releasing them from the now useless little plastic she moved to her friends. "So where to next."

"Well we are going to drop you off in the next city, and then we continue to our next target," Sly said assured of himself, Bentley nodding in approval

"That's not going to happen." She looked daringly at them.

"What do you mean that's not going to happen?" Bentley looked confused at her while Murray had a little smile, hoping she wouldn't leave them just yet.

"Simple I won't be dumped again, I am going with you guys to the next destination," Sam said without missing a beat.

"No way, we discussed this already you can't come with us, it's too dangerous." Sly tried to convince the girl.

"Yes and I decided that I don't care, First it's probably more dangerous out on the street if they can even get to me in a police station. Second I can't reach Sebastian so I have nowhere to go. Third, don't forget without me you Muggshot would have riddled you with holes. Lastly, my uncle is linked to the fiendish five which you guys are probably hunting down. So my choice is easily made."

Sly tried to find a counterargument but how he turned or looked at it, he came only to one conclusion. she was right.

He couldn't believe he was going to say this. "Fine, you can come with us." Sly reluctantly admitted. Bentley looked shocked how Sly could have switched so easily from opinion.

"We can't drag her along, I won't deny she was useful in the previous heist. But who's to say she won't jeopardize the mission she isn't experienced like we are." Bentley tried to fight the decision.

Sly let out a sigh of frustration knowing where Bentley was coming from. "Fine, we are a democratic group so let's vote. Who votes for Sam to be dropped off in the next city." Only Bentley's hand went up. "Who wants her to join us." Murray and Sly's hand went up this time.

"That's decided then, Sam I officially welcome you as a temporary member of the Cooper gang." He said with a smile going in for the hug. Feeling a little bit relieved she wouldn't be leaving them just yet.

* * *

If you said her a couple of years ago that she was going to be the personal assistant of the CEO of off the biggest companies in London she would have laughed a little at the preposterous statement.

She was never the ambitious type, content with being just the forgotten in the general mass of workers. That was also where she was going. That was until she somehow caught the eye of Edward Steele, Vice president of Steele Transportation.

It was nothing special, or anything, his last assistant didn't show up during a hectic day. He needed someone to replace her for that moment. Lilly just happened to pass by and before she knew it she had the position.

"Are we daydreaming again." She was pulled out of her faraway thoughts, remembering where she was. The reporters had already left, leaving her and Mr. Steele alone.

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

"It better not." He stated with no malice or friendliness in it. "I want you to clear my agenda for the rest of the day."

Leaving the room he strode through the halls off Steele Transportations HeadQuarters.

"Like you wish Sir." Knowing the drill, she adjusted her pace to keep up with him.

"Have you heard anything from the Northwoods." They entered the offices where all the pencil pushers worked, making sure the company worked like a well-oiled machine. Out of instinct, she started to make herself a little bit smaller, feeling the glares of the other employees like knives in her back.

Not seeing where she went she collided with Mr. Steele's back. "Ms. Sanders is everything alright."

She looked up into his crystal blue eyes. Immediately putting her face back down. "Everything's alright Sir. just a little tired. I haven't heard anything from them since they started helping looking for Ms. Steele, Sir." Giving a nod of understanding he continued his march.

Finally arriving at his office. The floor manager had once proposed that they moved his office to were Ms. Steele's office was. It was more representable in his words. Mr. Steele had a private conversation with the manager since then the poor man avoided him like death.

The room was circular in shape with a desk positioned opposite of the door. The room itself was nothing special the, it was decorated with a couple of bookcases aligning the walls. Opposite of the desk there were a couple of comfortable chairs.

She once asked why he didn't buy something to decorate it, to bring some life into the place. The idea was immediately shot down according to him it distracted him too much from work.

"You can go home, you have worked enough for today." He settled himself behind his desk starting to open his computer.

"Are you sure, Sir. I still need to book the reservation for the dinner next week. And the appointment with Mr. Bradshaw still needs to be confirmed and don't let me think about... "

"That all can wait until tomorrow. You have had more than a hectic week, the world won't end if Ms. Sanders takes a half day off."

"The same can be said for you." She put her hands in front of her mouth, but the words were already out. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to be so disrespectful. I can only imagine what you are going through with the disappearance of your niece, and the week-long search you have done for her. And then not to think about the company you need to keep afloat."

"Ms. Sanders calm down, no harm done, just go rest at home and we'll start tomorrow refreshed and with a clear mind." He stated in his neutral voice.

"Like you wish, Sir. Have a good day" She fumbled with the doorknob not trying to embarrass herself further.

"Likewise for you. And thanks for your concern." Giving him a smile in return she left the office, leaving Edward Steele in his thoughts.

Taking his cell phone out he started to go through his contact list stopping on "Mike Northwood."

Only to be interrupted by the reentrance of Lily, "Hm, Sir. Mr. Hogg is here he would like to talk with you now."

A look of disgust appeared on his face. "Fine, let him in."

She nodded at his command, opening the door further to let Sebastian pass. "Thank you, Ms. Sanders." With that she left the room again, leaving the two men behind.

"Have you got any news on Sam." he buried the phone back in his pocket.

The butler moved further in the room positioning himself on one of the seats. "No, sadly there hasn't been any sign of her yet. But we keep looking. That's why I am here, I would like to take some vacation days to help in the search. "

He raised an eyebrow at the strange request. "You don't need to waste your vacation for this, I'll count it as just as a regular workday with overtime, besides, since her disappearance, I can't imagine you have a lot of work." Edward moved over to the bar, pouring himself and Sebastian a drink.

"I appreciate the gesture, Mr. Steele. I'll find her I am sure of that, in the meantime, it's the best you try to make sure the company doesn't go down without her." He positioned himself on the desk his back against the computer.

Handing the drink to Sebastian, Edward downed his in one go. "Yes of course."

"I know we never had the best relationship Mr. Steele, but I always had the best interests in mind for Samantha and her family, that includes you. So when I say I will find her, I will. Even if I have to drain the whole sea."

Edward looked in the eagle's piercing eyes. He knew the words should have sounded reassuring but the only put him a little bit extra on edge. "I hope the Northwoods are helping you at least."

"Talking about them, It's been a long time since I have seen them, you wouldn't have any idea where they were?" Sebastian kept his eyes on Edward hoping for any reaction.

"The last time I saw them was on the night she disappeared I haven't seen them since then. I'll call them to see where they are."

"That would be much appreciated, If you'll excuse me the sooner I leave the sooner I can start my search." With that, he downed the drink while raising himself from his seat.

"Before you go, It seems I haven't had your phone number would you be so kind to write it down for me." Sebastian stopped mid-walk, turning around to see Edward holding a paper and pen.

A forced smile appeared on his face. "Of course no problem." He took the objects from his handwriting down his phone number.

"Would you also be so kind to write your name down, I can be so forgetful." Sebastian looked to so if he was kidding, only to be met by his stoic face.

Without resistance, he wrote his name down. "Here you go. Anything else I can help you with, Sir?"

"No that will be all." Sebastian opened the door ready to leave. "If you find anything you'll let me know?"

"But of course Mr. Steele." With that, he was alone in his office again. Missing the blinking USB that was now inserted in the back of his computer.

Clicking on the intercom the connection was opened by the sound of static. "Ms. Sanders are you still here."

"Yes, sir can I do anything before I go?" Her soft voice came out of the speakers.

"Could you come back for a minute." With that he removed his hand from the intercom, moving over to one of the bookcases, he removed a couple of books revealing a heavy-duty vault. Entering the code it opened with a thunk, ignoring the money and important documents, his eyes immediately fell on one little piece of paper, retrieving it he locked the safe again.

Getting up he saw that Lily had entered the room. "What I am going to tell you can not leave this room, do you understand?" His face was all business, a little bit of coldness and worry could be seen in his eyes.

"O-Of c-course, Sir." She stumbled over her words.

He handed her the piece of paper Sebastian wrote on together with the one from the vault. "I want you to go with these two papers to this address."

Moving back to his desk he started to search for something, her curiosity taking the better off her she opened the two papers. The first one was Sebastian's name and phone number on it. Opening the second she couldn't really understand what it meant. "Sir, what is this?"

Ignoring her he pushed a neat business card in her hands, with only an address and 'Graphologist' in big beautiful letters written on it. "Sir, you don't believe Mr. Hogg wrote this?"

"The less you know the better, I just want you to go to that address and let them compare the two. Can I trust you with this?"

Knowing how serious he was she just nodded. Making her way back outside for the third time. Just opening the door she stopped looking back, at Mr. Steele, for the first time she saw how tired he really was. "If you need to talk about anything, I am right outside."

Before she could see his reaction she exited the office as quickly as possible. Missing the little smile that appeared on his face.

* * *

Sebastian exited the building, retrieving his cell phone looking at the screen. He couldn't stop himself from smiling a little when "EAA System, Welcome Mr. E. Steele." appeared on his screen.

* * *

 **This chapter isn't my favorite, but I wanted to have one that focused a little bit more on Edward, and his interactions with his employees, like Lilly Sanders and Sebastian.**

 **Next chapter will be the start of Vicious Voodoo.**

 **Leave a review, so I know you are enjoying the story, what I can improve or just tell me what you think about it.**


	12. Chapter 12: The Dread Swamp Path

**The Dread Swamp Path**

With every step, she could feel her boots sink deeper into the combination of mud and water. "Why can't villains, put their evil lair in a more accessible and fun location like Les Deux Alpes or Geirangerfjord, or even the north pole."

Sly had taken the lead trying to get them through the swamps. "Once this is over I'll treat you on a romantic weekend in Val d'Isère just the two of use. A little bit of champagne with the beautiful mountains in the background."

"Dream on, let's first make sure we survive this stupid swam before we get dragged down, and then you can fantasize further about your romantic weekends alone." Following his lead she pulled her legs out off the mud, the vacuum almost leaving her boots behind.

"For once I'm agreeing with her, these swamps are filled with unimaginable molds and diseases not the speak about the humid weather doesn't help with my asthma," Bentley spoke up from his spot on top of Murray's shoulders. "We need to stay focused on the mission."

It became quickly clear that Bentley was never going to make it through the mud with his height, he went immediately below the surface of the water not big enough to even touch the bottom. The hippo himself was struggling to get the both of them safely through to the swamp. With the extra weigh on his shoulder, the mud already came to his belly.

"So, what can you tell me about this Mz. Ruby?" They hadn't told her anything about the next member of the fiendish five only that she had made her home in the swamps of Haiti.

"Mz. Ruby the chief mystic of the fiendish five. She's a special one, always had a knack for the mystics. Like thieving ran in mine, hers was more specialized in the dark arts." She couldn't see his face, still, she heard the edge in his voice every time he talked about the fiendish five.

"It wasn't so surprising that she had no friends, the other kids were not really fans of bringing back the dead. So the logical choice was for her to take a career in crime, in a misguided goal to punish the world for fearing her as a child." Sly continued explaining while leading them further into the depths of the jungle.

"Despite her infamous reputation she managed to slip into obscurity, last known sightings claims she headed out of civilization and deep into the Haitian jungle. That's why we are wading our way through these bogs" Moving a branch out of the way, he held it in place, until all of them passed.

"Instead of wasting their money on oversized lairs they should have spent it on some group therapy." She got a pity chuckle from her companions, too tired to really laugh at their situation, they were already trekking through the jungle for a couple of days and they hadn't found any sign of her hideout.

Seeing Murray struggle following the two of them she made a decision. "Can we rest for the night? We're all tired."

Sly looked back wiping the sweat away from his forehead. If it was only him he would have pushed further, he could feel they were close by. But looking at his companions he saw that they were almost at their end.

He inspected them. Sam looked fine, she could go on for a couple more hours. Murray and Bentley were another matter. Murray was breathing harder and sinking deeper with every step and Bentley's weight wasn't helping. While Bentley was sweating profusely while also trying to keep all sorts insects away from him. The humidity wasn't helping the turtle either, who was more breathing in his inhaler then not.

"That's a good idea." Sly agreed with her although a little bit reluctantly. "We should find someplace dry to set up camp."

With that, they made their way out of the mud upon a formation of rocks. Murray wasted no time setting up their tents, relief in his eyes that they had decided to stop for the day.

Bentley was trying to combat the weather conditions to unsuccessfully start a fire. Removing a loose bark from the tree, she made her way over to him. "Put this under it." Not moving from his position, he looked skeptical up at her. "Trust me for once."

With a sigh he took the bark from her hands, putting it down behind a tree to keep it dry, he tried again to start the fire. It took a little bit, but this time the ember started to grow bigger until they eventually had a full-fledged fire.

"Well, would you look at that, where did you learn this?" He asked his voice full of curiosity.

"My uncle loved going on hiking trips, he took me along a few times. You pick up a thing or two." He could hear the hurt in her voice. "Enough about that, can I borrow your phone?"

"It's in the backpack in the tent." Bentley feeling a little bit guilty didn't argue with her about using it.

With a nod, she got up and made her way back to where Murray had put up their sleeping arrangements.

"Sam." She turned back to the turtle. "Thank you." He looked like he wanted to say something more but the words got stuck in his throat.

She gave smile while saluting him "Your welcome." With that, she left him alone to his fire.

Entering the tent she immediately saw the backpack laying in the middle of the tent. Or thrown looking at the state of it. Going through it she started to feel for the cellphone. Her hand touched something metal. Looking in the bag she found to her surprise that it wasn't the phone but the Thievius Racoonnus.

Releasing the book she continued searching for her cell phone. "Where are you?"

To her frustration, the thing could nowhere be found. Letting the bag drop, the contents scattered all over the floor. "Great, my day couldn't get any better."

Going down her hands and knees she started gathering all the contents. Her eyes catching a glimpse of the golden lock on the book again, her curiosity taken the upper hand. She pushed all the objects back into the bag, except for the book.

Taking it in her hands she looked closer at the designs, from the beautiful golden letters to the big Cooper emblem on the front. Her fingers went over the cover feeling the surprisingly smooth surface, remembering Sly had told her it was passed down his family for generations.

She couldn't keep herself from feeling the lock, which popped open without any effort like it wanted her to see it's secrets.

It looked like it was incomplete, pages were missing like they were ripped out. The pages that were still there looked like they were reattached.

Not really knowing where to start she went to a page at random. "Tennessee Kid" Cooper, he looked like he stepped straight out of a spaghetti western, outfit and all. Like Sly, he used a hook-shaped weapon. With him going a bit more violent then Sly, having a gun instead of a cane.

Tennessee did what any other western outlaw would do, robbing banks and hijacking trains, making no difference in who he robbed from. Criminal or civilian he stole from everyone. That changed when he started talking about a snowflake in the desert who brought him on the straight path. She deducted hat he was talking about a fata morgana that he encountered in the desert.

From then on he only focused on stealing from criminals and targeting outlaws until his notes just stopped nothing about what he did after his thieving career like he disappeared from the world.

Flipping through the pages she went from ancestor to ancestor, giving her a better image of Sly's family.

After a couple of ancestors, she came across one that peaked her interest. One-third of the page was taken in by a picture of a female raccoon with one eye, holding a dagger in the trademark hook shape of the Cooper clan. Under the picture, there was a name written. "Henriette Cooper"

Reading a little bit into her, she learned that Henriette was a pirate who sailed the seven seas during the 17th century. Stealing the riches of other pirates. In an encounter with Blackbeard, she took on more then she could bite losing her eye in the process.

After that she kept on sailing the sea, continuing her plundering and just like the other ancestors her notes just stopped saying nothing about what she did after her pirate life was over.

Wanting to go on to the next page she suddenly felt a presence next to her. "What do we have here?"

Shutting the book, she tried to stuff it back into the backpack. "I can explain, I was looking for the phone when I came across the Thievius Raccoonus and I just wanted to know a little bit more about it." She had the decency of looking guilty, all the blood rising to her head out of embarrassment.

Sly had an angry look on his face. "I'm sorry." She reluctantly said hoping he wouldn't be too furious, or worse leave her behind.

The angry stare kept on his face until there appeared little cracks in it. His lips started to fight the grimace going into a full-blown smile. Until he erupted in a laughing fit. "You should have seen your face." He dropped down on his back holding his stomach from laughter. "You looked like a tomato."

She tried to be angry at him for making fun of her but she couldn't keep herself from smiling at his reaction. "And how you slapped the book closed, that was really cute." Until she also couldn't keep herself from going into a laughter fit. She didn't understand why she was laughing, it wasn't even that funny. But something in his laugh was so infectious.

Both of them wiping away their tears and getting their bearings the looked at each other with a smile. "So, Henriette Cooper? Not my personal favorite, but I read she had one mean right hook, like someone else I know." Sly started.

"She's pretty interesting. I was always was a fan of pirate stories." She admitted. "They were free, to sail the seven seas to go where they wanted to be stopped by no one." Sly got a smile on his face at her explanation understanding where she came from"And who's your favorite?"

"Well there a lot of Cooper's I look up to, but my favorite would be Connor Cooper." He said without hesitation.

"He wasn't in the book, who was he?"

"You aren't going to find much about him, he never really had the chance to write his knowledge down. But I can tell you he was one of the bravest and smartest Cooper's there was. Supposedly he was so good he could slide across lasers." Sly enthusiastically told his story.

"He sounds amazing, in which time period did he live, probably a more recent one if he knew about lasers."

A sadness overcame him. "Yeah he was the latest Cooper, He was my father." His grip tightened on his cane.

She didn't really know how to react, is she should comfort him or not. Ultimately deciding on just letting him talk. "He sounded, like your hero. What happened to him?"

"He should have taught me about our family, our ancestors our duty. But instead, they took my father, mother, and legacy from me."

"Do you mean the fiendish five, did they do this to you?" She was positive she already knew the answer why the gang was going after the five, she just wanted to hear him say it. To get confirmation.

"Yes." He felt a lump in his throat bringing up the memories again. "We lived a little out of Paris, my father was already retired. Giving up his thieving career to take care of me and my mother. Still every night he told me stories about the different heists he pulled off. He was my idol, the person who I wanted to live up to. It was all taken away by five knocks on the door, my mother opened it. She never had a chance, before she could blink they had already struck her down."

He paused a little recollecting his thoughts. "My father hid me in the closet, trying to keep me safe. Told me to keep quiet and not come out until he came for me. Through the cracks in the closet, I could see everything. He fought them off the best he could, but five versus one was even for him too much. In the end, they killed him like my mother. I was almost caught, one of them looked right where I was hidden, I still remember his glowing eyes looking right through me. To my luck, one of them found the Thievius Raccoonus and they left with what they came for."

"The only thing I got left of him is this cane." A tear rolled down his cheek. Not wanting to show it to her he kept his eyes focused on the weapon. Doing this he never saw her come closer and put her arms around him.

"I'm sorry, I never meant to bring up those memories." Sly automatically returned the hug.

They sat like that for a couple of minutes. Both of them unaware that Bentley opened the tent, finding them in each other's embrace. A faint smile appeared on his face, deciding to leave the two alone.

Letting go of each other, Sly looked a little embarrassed for a moment only for his charming smile to reappear. "I am always talking about my family, I never had the chance to ask about yours."

Sam locked up immediately. "I rather not talk about them." Sly felt her whole attitude chance, like something she didn't want to remember of.

"Ok, no problem. I understand." He tried to defuse the situation.

"Sorry, If I came over too harsh, but I don't want to bring them up right now." She explained, followed by an awkward silence.

"Oh for I forgot, here you go." Sly whipped out a new cellphone. "Bentley told me you were looking for it, so I thought I would come and bring it to you."

With that, he stood up ready to leave. "If you need anything else, or you want to talk. I'm here. And thanks for the talk, I felt good letting it all out." Sam returned a grateful look at him.

Which made him cheer inside knowing that there was still a chance she would tell him someday. With that, he left the tent leaving her alone to make her call.

Dialing the number for what felt like the tenth time in the last couple of days, she heard the dial tone go over. After a couple of seconds, she decided to give up again, almost closing the phone when the dial stopped and Sebastian's voice came over the phone.

"Samantha is that you? Tell me you're alright." she heard his worried voice.

She couldn't stop herself from smiling, a relief coming over her that nothing happened to him. "It's me Seb, and I am alright."

"That's good, what did the police tell you are you on your way back to London?"

"I'm not with the police, Mike and Ike found me, I needed to get out of their." She tried to explain.

It stayed quiet on the other side for a couple of seconds indicating he was thinking. "Where are you now? Are they still after you?"

"I'm in Haiti for the moment, I lost them in Salt Lake City, I don't think they will follow me here." She explained

"Haiti? Why are you there? You know what I don't want to know this has been going on for too long I am on my way to you right now." He declared, she could hear an engine starting up on his side.

"No, It's too dangerous I am safe you don't need to come." She tried to argue with him.

"Nonsense, I'll come and get you personally, it's time you returned home and that we confronted your uncle." His voice held no room for discussion.

"And what are we going to do. If they aren't afraid to try and kidnap me in a police station, they aren't afraid to do worse things."

"You don't need to do this alone, This time I am there to help you. Together we can face them. And once we are back in London we can use the lawyers from the company, and we will bring him down." This was the first time she heard Seb so angry.

"I'll be there in a day. We also have another problem, I looked at the EAA system and it looks like all there are no records from the day of your abduction."

She knew what that meant. "So it's possible someone else is helping him?"

"It's possible or he just made sure they didn't come to work that day." He answered.

"Maybe, again a dead lead. So there is only one way left." She said mostly to herself.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't worry about it, I'll see you tomorrow?" she asked not really wanting him to come.

"I'll land tomorrow night, so if we're lucky I can get to you by the day after tomorrow."

"Okay, I'll see you then and keep safe."

"You too." With that, she closed the phone ending the call. Making her way back outside she saw the three of them sitting around the campfire. Did she really want to leave them, maybe it was for the best and was Sebastian right.

She had probably more chance using a lawyer and informing the police then to go on a goose chase after an illustrious thieving gang.

Still, the police already captured Muggshot and with them going after Mz. Ruby, there was a chance she would be caught too. Meaning if she was lucky they would start to talk and throw her uncle to the lions in exchange for reduced time.

Looking up she saw that Sly was gesturing for her to join them. With that, she decided to forget her worries for a moment and enjoy the time she still had left with her new friends.

* * *

 **Leave a review, so I know you are enjoying the story, what I can improve or just tell me what you think about it.**


	13. Chapter 13: Voodoo Hoodoo

**Voodoo Hoodoo**

* * *

"Couldn't you get up earlier." Bentley's irritating nasally voice sounded over the camping ground, addressing Sam who was at the moment trying to break down her tent. The other's waiting for her to finish. "We could have been going by now."

"Well if you woke me up earlier, or would help me right now you wouldn't have to complain about everything." It looked like the turtle woke up on the wrong side of the bed. But she knew that if he wasn't going to keep his mouth shut she wouldn't be responsible for the consequences. Luckily Sly helped her, finishing the job in less than ten minutes, unlike Bentley who just stood there waiting.

"Thanks." She gave him her most grateful smile.

"No problem." He threw his most charismatic smile back at her in response.

"Can we leave now." Bentley interrupted the moment. "The sooner we are out of the forest the better."

She looked at him seeing the tiredness and distrust on his face again. And just when she thought he was starting to be friendly to her, his whole demeanor had changed, bringing them back to square one.

Wanting to stay away from the turtle's complaints she directly followed Sly making sure Murray stayed between her and him.

The walk itself was silent for the most part only to be broken by the sound of the forest wildlife and the rain falling on the trees.

Sam suddenly stopped. "Do you guys hear that?" The companions stopped in their tracks listening for what she meant.

"I don't hear anything. It's probably just your imagination." She sent the turtle a death glare making it clear he needed to keep his mouth shut.

"No, I also hear something." Sly backed her up. "It sounds like someone is calling for help." Not waiting for anyone he ran of in the direction of the cries, leaving the others to try and keep up with him.

* * *

"Help" he could feel his body sinking deeper and deeper, out of panic he tried to struggle out of his predicament, with as only result that he sunk deeper with every movement. "Help, Is anyone out there, I never wanted to die like this. Please, someone, help." He screamed his lungs out hoping one of the other guard patrols would hear him.

"Well, would you look at that." he could feel his whole body fill with relief, someone had finally found him. He couldn't care less who got him out as long as they did it quickly, already having lost the feeling in his toes. "And what's your name." The raccoon asked in a calm voice like they just met on the street.

"You're a godsend, My name's Isaac, could you get me out of here. Just throw a branch or something." The newly named Isaac answered eagerly.

"It's our lucky day." A second voice joined him, this time a grey-haired wolf appeared next to the raccoon. She crouched down her face stopping in front of his. "We were walking around all day, looking for a sign off civilization, you wouldn't know where we could find somewhere to call. Maybe an evil temple or something like that." She raised her eyebrow waiting for an answer.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Just get me out of here, I can feel my blood being cut off." He squirmed again trying to get out himself, having a feeling they weren't going to help him.

The raccoon crouched next to his companion. "Don't make this harder then it needs be just tell us what we want to know." He tried to convince the rat, for a moment it looked like he was going to spill the beans.

"I can't tell you." He shut down, in fear of something worse than the situation he was in right now. "If she finds out I told you guys, she will do things much worse to me then you can do right now." Isaac resumed his struggles.

"Fine, we'll do it your way then." The wolf disappeared from his vision only to come back with a big branch in her hands. A little spark of hope started to grow inside of him seeing that she got a way to get him out.

"Thank god, I thought you guys would leave me here to die." A happy smile appeared on his face. Focusing on trying to grab the branch, he didn't see the wicked smile on Sam's face. "Just a little bit closer, I can almost get it." He graced the bark tasting his freedom, when suddenly the stick lunched forward right into his face, pushing him deeper into the mud.

Through the surprise he managed to get his hands stuck in the mud, making it almost impossible to move now. "Are you crazy, you are pushing me deeper in, are you trying to kill me." He shouted hoping someone else would hear him in the process.

"Well, if you don't help us, that will be the case yes." Looking into her icy blue eyes, he never thought he would fear someone more than his boss. Gone was the friendly face from before, he was looking into the face of a predator now. "Just tell us what we want to know and I'll stop pushing, I'll even try to get you out." She almost whispered, making her threat even scarier.

"I… I can't d..do that w..will kill m..me." He stuttered his plead with the last bit of courage he could find.

Looking at her he tried to find a sign of sympathy. "Wrong answer." A snare appeared on her face. She moved the branch back in his direction.

"Please don't let her do this." This time he tried to appeal to the Raccoon's conscious. "Stop her, she'll kill me." It felt he like was talking against a wall.

At least Sly had the guts to look sorry for the guard. "Sorry, this is out of my hands. You can understand I don't want to get on her bad side." With that the stick started to push him deeper, the mud now reaching his neck.

Finally, the fear took over. "Stop, Stop. I'll tell you what you want. Just stop." He screamed in terror. He felt the pressure being removed from his head. With the room left to move he looked up at his tormentors, who were waiting for his answer. "Promise, me you'll get me out, please." He almost cried.

"Isaac I promise, we'll get you out. Trust me" She told him in a soothing voice like they were friends that had known each other for ages, even giving him a sympathetic smile.

He knew he was going to regret this, but he had no other choice. "The place you're looking for is a click North from here." He moved his head in the direction.

"That wasn't so hard now was it." Sly pitched in. Sam appeared behind him with the branch, before he could react she started to push him deeper again.

He started to squirm, trying to fight his inevitable death, seeing his life flash in front of his eyes. Growing up the streets of Port-au-Prince. His grandmothers self-baked cookies. His first kiss to the many heartbreaks after that. His initiation into the criminal world, getting hired by Mz. Ruby until the now at the end of his life. As the final act of his life, he screamed his lungs out. "MAMA I DON'T WANT TO DIE, PLEASE HELP ME." He could feel himself feel sink deeper and deeper with every push until his feet touched something.

The ground he touched the ground he wouldn't die, He started to thank all the available gods that there were. His prayers were interrupted by his tormentor's voices. "I never heard anyone scream so high."

While he was pushed down the raccoon had started making torching placing them around the mud pool. "You know these mud pits around here are infamous for taking multiple lives per year. Usually, it happens when the person falls into them head first or they are too small to stand up. As long as you are as tall as yourself they are pretty harmless." The wolf explained him.

"What are you going to do with me, you can't leave me here." His voice rasp because of the screaming.

"We can't exactly let you go and warn your boss, neither can we knock you out and tie you up with the risk of being eaten by the not so friendly wildlife around here," Sam explained starting to look into the direction of the base. "So we decided to do the next best thing, you can't move an inch, your far away from any guard patrols to not warn them and the torches we put up plus the mud, will make you too hard of a target for anything to want to eat you… hopefully" she added quickly at the end of her sentence.

"No you can't do this, please get me out." He couldn't scream anymore just a pathetic whimper. They just ignored him.

"Don't worry we'll be back for you when we're done with your boss," Sam reassured him when they left. Not really giving him much comfort. On that day he decided if he got out of this alive he would give up his career in the criminality and live his life somewhere peaceful with a legit job.

* * *

True to Isaac's word it took the gang not to long to find the hideout. Mz. Ruby had set up shop in an old forgotten temple deep in the jungles away from prying eyes. Getting in was pretty easy, the guards weren't really expecting anyone to come this far into the jungle and even then it would be a miracle to find their base without any coordinates or idea of where it was located.

Once inside they set up camp on a ledge overlooking the whole area. Gathering all around a makeshift table of crates and barrels they started to plan their heist. "It looks like we are safe here for the moment, none of the guards pass this area, normally they shouldn't find us here. As long as someone's genius idea of capturing enemies doesn't backfire." He took a stab at Sam's plan for leaving Isaac alone in the mud. Nobody reacted to it but she could see Sly giving him a disappointed look.

Ever since she told him her plan, he was complaining about it like there was no tomorrow. Summing up all the ways it could go wrong, Sly even had to stop him multiple times to go back and fix the mess she supposedly made. She had decided not to give him the satisfaction of answering and just used the silent treatment. It wasn't working.

"It looks like Mz. Ruby's plan is to take over Mexico with, you aren't going to believe this." Everyone looked at Bentley with anticipation. "Ghosts!"

"Sly, I think your friend has fallen too many times on his head. Or maybe it's his inflated ego that takes up too much space for him to think clearly" Sam couldn't leave the chance to give the remark, she shouldn't do it but felt so good seeing the angry look on Bentley's face.

"I'm serious, I don't know how she's planning it, But it's the only explanation why my paranormal meter is going haywire around this area." Bentley tried to convince his friends, ignoring Sam further.

"As impossible as it sounds, I overheard Mz. Ruby talk to her guards about a ghost army, so it's plausible." Sly came to defend his friend.

"Your, kidding right it's not good if we feed into his delusions." Sam was really questioning the sanity of her companions if they started to believe in ghosts. "Murray please don't say you also believe in this paranormal nonsense."

The big guy only raised his shoulders not siding with any of them.

"It doesn't matter if you believe us or not, ghosts or not we still need to stop her and take back her page of the Thievius Raccoonus." Bentley got their attention back to the blueprints.

"According to these plans, there are two important structures the temple, where Mz. Ruby probably leads her whole operation from and a factory." Bentley pointed to a building right next to the temple. "Where she's creating her ghost army." Sam couldn't keep her self from snorting at the ghost army factory.

Throwing a glare at her Bentley continued his explanation. "For the moment there is no way we can access the factory or the Temple. It's locked by this massive gate with no way to get past it. I looked over the plans a couple of times but I don't see any way in and we don't have the means to destroy the gate." Bentley sounded frustrated, he triple checked everything but Mz. Ruby had taken the precautions to keep all intruders out. "The only anomaly is this gate on the east side of her base."

Bentley threw a photo on the table showing a metal gate locked by three padlocks. "Nowhere on these plans is any mention of the gate, their needs to be a reason for her to keep it hidden."

"A possible entrance?" Sly asked what everyone was thinking.

"Or something valuable that can help us. I know it's a long shot but it's our only way." Bentley started to roll up the plans.

"And what are we going to do, if it doesn't help us? Do we have a backup plan?" Sam asked, not really liking how much of chance they needed to leave for this plan to work.

"No this is the only plan we have, and we are going to go through with it." Bentley started to raise his voice, tired from sleep deprivation. He was not in the mood to be questioned about his plans. "Or do you have a better idea?"

"Who knows maybe I do. Maybe if you ever got that stick out of your ass you would see that we could have ideas of our own" She was getting tired of him always pretending to be better than her.

"Calm down guys, fighting is not going to bring us anywhere." Murray tried to intervene before they went too far.

"So I am the one with a stick up my ass now." Murray was getting a little scared by Bentley he had never seen the turtle this angry, his face getting all red. "Ever since you joined us, you have been dragging us down, bringing us in more danger than anything else. We should have just left you on that train, maybe your uncle would have taken care of you." Bentley immediately regretted the words, but it was too late the damage was already done.

Her anger was gone, replaced by a broken look. "Your right, I never should have joined you guys." With those last words, she ran away from their hiding space into the forest.

"Sam wait, he didn't mean it," Sly called, running after her before she would hurt herself.

Bentley couldn't move still tormenting himself, trying to find a reason why he said those things. It was like someone else was speaking for him, using him. He looked up at Murray at a sign of understanding. "I never meant to say those things, they just came out." He explained more to himself trying to find an excuse for his actions.

An hour later Sly returned to his friends. Bentley looked at his friend trying to find a confirmation that he had found her. Only for his hopes to be crushed. "I can't find her anywhere, she's gone."

* * *

 **Leave a review, so I know you are enjoying the story, what I can improve or just tell me what you think about it.**


	14. Chapter 14: The Lair of the Beast

_**The Lair of the Beast**_

* * *

"Samantha, Why was I on the phone with your school counselor today." Sam kept her eyes down, hoping she wouldn't need to face his anger. "Look at me when I'm talking to you." His harsh voice forced her to look up, right into his icy blue eyes.

"Sorry father," It took her all her might to not move her eyes back down away from his cold stare.

"According to him you skip half of your courses, your grades are dropping and you hang around with that lowlife again." His voice didn't rise once during this whole conversation.

"She isn't a lowlife, she's my best friend," Sam muttered between her teeth, dropping her head back down, to her feet that were at this moment ten times more interesting than her father's spout.

"Do you call me a liar? And look at me when I'm talking to you." He demanded She could hear the little shiver in his voice indicating that he was getting angry. Wanting to get it over with as fast as possible she looked back up. "How do you plan to fix your mistakes?" Putting emphasis on the last word referring to her friend.

Emma and she had met in kindergarten, Sam's timid personality was perfect for Emma's brash one. Emma dragged her in all kinds of adventures, while she kept the girl's feet on the ground. Her father hadn't approved of their friendship once he learned what for an influence she was on his daughter. After kindergarten she was sent to a private school, this didn't stop them from seeing each other after school and during the weekends.

"I don't know." She knew he wasn't going to like her answer, but she couldn't think of anything else to say.

"If you don't know, I'll decide for you." She looked fearfully into his eyes not liking where this was going. "From now on your not allowed to leave the house, use the phone or any other way of communication, until your grades are acceptable. And you will put an end to your friendship with that girl."

Hearing those last words Sam did something she thought she would never do. "You can't do this." She almost screamed, putting on the angriest face she could muster. "She's my only friend, I have no one else."

Showing no sign of being affected by her outburst, he calmly stood up. "If you keep on squandering your talents like this, I'm forced to take actions."

"I'll get my grades back up, I'll even follow all my classes. But you can't forbid me from seeing my friends." Sam felt the courage growing in her gut. She was just so tired of following her father's orders.

"I'm your father, so yes I can and I will. Or are you going to stay like this your whole life." Then she saw a look she would never forget, the look of pure disappointment.

It felt her with so much anger. After all, she did for him, he was still disappointed "A disappointment? That's how you see me isn't it?" For the first time in her life, she shouted her thoughts out.

"That's not what I meant." He looked down, pulling out a couple of papers not even giving her the respect to look her into her eyes. Fueling her anger even more. She couldn't stop herself anymore the years of the apathy, the way he looked at her, she needed the clear her mind and it needed to happen right now.

"I'm so tired of your rules, your expectations, your control over my life. I'm tired of you. You have been suffocating, me my whole life. In my 16 years, I lived under your roof I never had a decision of my own. You know what I'm done, I'll live my life like I want from now on!" Storming out of the room she barely missed her mother entering the room to find out why her daughter was screaming.

Sam ran through the halls of her childhood home, tears in her eyes, not knowing where to go just as far away as possible from that man. With every step and tear the halls changed more and more the pillars replaced by trees sweeping in the wind, the red carpets changing to jungle foliage and the ceiling opened up revealing the dark starry night of Haiti.

She could still hear her mother call after her. "Sam, wait he didn't mean it." only for her high voice to replaced by the concerned deeper voice of Sly. And just like when she was younger she just ran ignoring where she was going, she just wanted to get away. Away from their disapproving look.

It felt like she was running for hours, her fur was drenched with mud and water, her lungs were burning with every breath and her legs felt like they would give in any minute. She needed to rest for a moment get her thoughts on a row, Sly's shouts had stopped he had probably given up to return to his friends.

Looking for a good spot, she stumbled on the most ominous gate she had ever laid her eyes on. The most prominent feature was the giant menacing head, in the middle of the gate. The head was accompanied by two snakes, on on each part of the gate. The gate itself was further lighted by multiple torches located around the area, with one conveniently placed inside of the head.

Her body said to stay as far away as possible from whatever was behind it. It didn't comfort her that there was no lock or handle on it, indicating that once it was closed it probably wasn't meant to be opened again. For once trusting her instincts she started walking in the opposite direction as far away as possible.

She had other priorities first, like what was she going to do right now. There was no way she could ever make her way back to civilization without the gang. Even if she didn't like it she needed their help. For now, she would walk around aimlessly. She could feel the rain slowing down to a pleasant drizzle. The water felt cold but oh so refreshing.

She kept walking like this, dodging the occasional guards, until through the shrubbery she saw a light, following it she exited the forest. Only for her to stand in front of the gate again. "What the…" The head's eyes stared straight at her, mocking her.

Wasting no time, she turned back the way she came, there was no way she was going to let herself be bested by a gate. After a couple of minutes of wrestling through vines and trees she finally came out on an empty area, letting out a sigh of relief, she looked up. To her shock, those burning eyes stared back at her. "How is this even possible, there is no way."

She twisted on her heels and dashed back into the forest running as fast as her tired legs could take her as far away from that gate as she could. In her haste, she didn't notice the root sticking out of the ground. Before she knew it her face made contact with the ground. Pushing herself up, the first thing she noticed was the surprisingly bright light. She looked up already knowing what would be waiting. To her regret, she was met with the same face she had now seen for the fifth time.

 _ **"Just go take a look inside, it's probably important if they locked it down like that."**_

Not thinking twice, she started to scale a nearby tree easily hopping from branch to branch until she reached the other side. "That was easy."

The area behind the gate was one big swamp, the trees growing a couple of meters, high. Their leaves trying to get any piece of sunlight, making it eerie dark almost impossible to clearly see the area.

The most unsettling thing was the lack of sound, no birds, no insects, nothing. It felt like she was in a whole new world.

Now that she was here she could only continue, carefully she started to maneuver through the area, trying to find some sort of landmark. With every step she started to feel more uncomfortable, like someone, something was watching her.

After a couple of minutes, she didn't feel like she was making any progress. it felt like she was walking circles The thick flora wasn't helping, with that her best bet was to find higher ground. Finding the tallest tree she started to climb. Just a meter high her attention was pulled to a ripple in the nearby water like something was moving through it.

' _ **It's just the wind, don't worry about'**_

'It's probably just the wind.' With that, she continued her climb. Using the vines and branches to reach the top. Looking around her eyes fell on a light, not so far from her current position. Unable to see from the ground through the shrubbery.

Just when she wanted to climb down, something heavy hit the tree, shaking her from her position. She could feel her heart stop, her hands trying to grab for something to hold, only for them to grasp air. Reality came crashing back when her whole body snapped back in the opposite direction. She could feel herself go up and down a couple of times until everything stopped moving. Getting her bearing, the world was turned upside down, looking up she saw her savior, a vine wrapped around her ankle.

The moment of relief didn't last for long, looking forward, she just saw the tail of something very big, very slippery disappear behind the trees. Not wanting to know what it was she reacted immediately by removing her savior. Gravity taking it's effect again her body hit the ground hard.

Looking up she saw the trees and bushes, getting pushed out of the way by something, right to her direction. And by the sounds coming from it, it wasn't coming to help her. Wasting no time she sprinted away from her pursuer in the direction she thought, hoped the light was.

Dodging branches and vines she ran as fast her legs could carry her, her lungs started to burn again, not having recovered from running away from Sly. "Why did I think it was a good idea to go over a locked gate, that was obviously keeping something in." She chastised herself.

' _ **Just stop it's over, your never going to outrun it.'**_

Looking behind her, she wished she didn't. At the moment the biggest snake she had ever seen in her life was giving chase, with an appetite for one specific wolf. Getting another adrenaline injection she quicked her pace, ignoring her lungs, legs, and the voice in her head.

Looking forward she saw a glimpse of the light she was chasing after. She prayed that it didn't lead her to more death, already feeling the snake's breath on her neck. Finally leaving the shrubbery behind she arrived in an open area, in the middle of it was a lake containing an island, lighted by multiple torches scattered around it. Besides that, the island contained one massive looking tree and a glass dome on a table.

Her body not stopping, she jumped in the water, her nostrils filling with the dirty water. Looking up she could the shadow of its head looking around, not wanting to wait for it to find her, she started to swim to the island staying underwater as long as possible.

Reaching land again, she looked behind her the snake nowhere to be found, like it went up in the air. Not wanting to test her luck, she ran with the little energy she had left to the glass dome. Her mood sinked a little when she saw the content, a blue key was displayed on the table, like it was some sort of museum piece.

"What are you doing here?" She asked the inanimate object. Removing the dome and taking the key. When suddenly a shadow started to cast over her. Looking up she came eye to eye with her pursuer. It's body coming from the lake having hidden itself there.

Just avoiding its teeth she tried to get back in the lake, if she wanted to survive she needed to get off this island. Only for her escape route to be blocked by its long slippery body, that started to rise from the lake. Wrapping itself around the island it blocked every escape route.

Seeing no other way she kept dodging the beast's mouth, trying to swallow her like a midnight snack, her legs leading her to the only hiding place on the island. The massive tree. Getting closer to it, she noticed it was hollow.

Just a couple meters from it the beast moved its head in front of her, blocking her path. She knew she couldn't stop in time, the snake had the same idea just keeping its mouth open for her to run in. Going low her legs pushed her from the ground, jumping right over the snake's head, key clutched in her hand.

The beast tried to snap at her, only for it to realize she was just out of its grasp having constricted itself around the island.

Landing on the other side, she barreled right into the hole situated on the bottom of the tree. The beast rammed its head after her still trying to get to her. She moved as flat as possible against the back of the trunk just barely out of reach from its mouth.

Realising he couldn't get her this way the beast retreated. Letting out a sigh of relief her body relaxed a little. Hearing it slither away, she let herself slump down on the moss infested ground.

Her relief was again shortlived when she suddenly heard the whole tree creak and shudder like something was putting an immense pressure on it. Daring to take a peek outside she saw the beast's body slidder up the tree. It had wrapped it's whole body around the trunk, trying to crack it open like a nut and by the sound's of it, it was succeeding. Jumping back in time again, she barely avoided the massive jaw embedding itself in her previous position. Giving her nasty look for as far as it could he continued his task.

With every second the noise became louder and louder. She could feel her heart trying to burst out of her chest. The world started to spin trying to throw her off. Putting her hands onto her ears, she closed her eyes just to make the sound stop. "Leave me alone, Leave me alone, Leave me alone."

"Samantha, you can't stay in there. Your mother is looking for you." Sebastian's fist kept pounding against the wooden door of her room.

"Leave me alone." She screamed, he didn't understand. "I don't want to see her."

"Samantha, if you don't talk to me I can't help you." Sebastian stopped the knocking, realizing it wouldn't help him to get inside.

She ignored him hoping he would leave her alone. Burying her face deeper into her pillow, hoping it was all just one big nightmare.

"You know, I never knew my parents." She lifted one eyelid, rubbing the tears from her eyes, listening what her butler was going to say. "I grew up in an orphanage, I hated my parents whoever they were, for years thinking they abandoned me, didn't care for me… thrown away like an old toy."

"I held that resentment for years, the hate-consumed me, I pushed every possible parent away thinking they wanted to adopt me out of pity." He continued, the regret hearable in his voice. "That was until I came of age, ready to stand on my own two feet. Or so the orphanage said, not really easy for an 18-year-old to take care of himself. Before I left I received a letter from the matron. She had specific instructions to give it to me when I was old enough. It was a letter from my father and mother telling me, they... uhm... loved me, that they were proud of me and wherever I was they would always be watching me."

Sam couldn't longer stand by hearing the sadness in his voice, opening the door, she came into the hallway. Sebastian was sitting with his back to the door, seeing she finally opened the door, he rubbed the tears from his eyes, stood up dusting himself off in the process. "What happened to them?" She needed to know the end of the story.

"I still don't know. But the letter made me realize whatever happened to them they loved me. For whatever reason they left me behind it was because they wanted to protect me." He gave her a sad smile. "Your father may seem harsh, but I am sure he has the best intentions. They may not always come over correctly, but he would do anything to protect you."

"Why isn't he here to say this. Why is it you and not him." She couldn't believe that everything her father did was for her good. "Your parents may have loved you, but I'm not sure mine do."

Sebastian had no way to react to this, had her father pushed her so far away. There was only one thing he knew she needed right now. He crouched down on one leg with the intention to give her a hug.

"Sam, are you alright." They both looked up to see her uncle stand at the end of the hallway, the concern on his face visible.

"Just a fright nothing to worry about, Sir." Seb tried to reassure the man. He looked at her nodding his head to come in for the hug. She started to move in his direction ready to return it.

"Sam, why don't we go for some ice cream and you can tell me all about it." Edward's voice stopped the girl in her track. "We can even go to the amusement park just the two of us." He started to move in her direction, a reassuring smile on his face holding out his hand.

She looked at the two of them not really knowing where to go. "Just give me a hug and then you can go with your uncle."

Seeing no problem with it, she continued in Sebastian's direction. "Stop, he's dangerous get away from him." They both looked in her uncle's direction confused by his accusation.

"Why is Seb dangerous, he's been our butler for years." She confusedly asked not really knowing what was going on.

"Sir, I don't know what you mean, I just want to give her a hug, come here Samantha." Sebastian now moved closer to himself still spreading his arms spread out.

"Samantha you need to wake up, your not yourself." She looked in panic again at her uncle his gruff deep voice changed to a younger, more panicked voice. "Whatever your seeing is not real, just trust me and come here."

"Jussssst, give me a hug." She looked back in terror at Sebastian, his eyes changing to yellow. In his beak there were snake teeth growing, gone was the kind look of her caretaker, now it was full of hunger and hate.

 _ **"Just give him a hug."**_

That voice pierced her head again, it wasn't her voice it was someone else's. "Get out of my head ." She threatened. "Stop feeding me these ideas." clutching her head, it felt like her brain wanted to burst out of her skull

 _ **"Oh, but dear, I am doing nothing. I just nurture some thoughts you already have. All these visions, thoughts and ideas you have are all yours. You wanted to get away from your companions, your curiosity wanted to see behind the wall. And now your need for acceptance will be your death, don't fight it just accept his embrace."**_

Before she could react to anything else Sebastian's head lunged forward, his neck growing longer and longer. Locked in fear she couldn't move her body.

Just when imposter Seb wanted to plunge its teeth in her head, just when she thought she was dead. A stone hit him in square in the face. His body still standing, his head was laying on the floor unconscious.

Edward rushed over to her, grabbing her hand pulling her away from Sebastian who was starting to wake up. "Sam snap out of it, you need to trust me and get back to me."

In front of her eyes, her uncles black tail started to change to one with, grey rings in it, his costume changed into a familiar blue one. Giving one look back at Seb. Hoping he wasn't hurt, she saw his metamorphosis complete. Gone was the protective butler, in his place was the giant snake giving chase to them.

Sly dragged her forward, through the forest trying to get rid of their pursuer. "What's going on? Where am I?"

"Good to have you back." He beamed at having her back in the real world. "Had I arrived a moment later you would have been snake food." He explained not slowing down. "We need to get back to the …" Sly was interrupted by the beast's appearance right in front of them.

Making a ninety-degree turn they, barely dodge the snake's big jaw. "I can't keep running like this."

"We're almost there." He tried to reassure her, the doubt in his voice didn't really help.

"Do you know where we're going?"

"I am almost a hundred percent sure we are going in the right direction." Again changing their course when the snake appeared out of nowhere blocking their path. "ok now I am a little bit less sure."

Dashing through the trees, her eyes fell on a light in the corner of her eye. Stopping she started to drag Sly in its direction, hoping it wasn't the island again. "I saw something there maybe a way out." She explained their route change.

Arriving at the light she saw it was a gate in the middle of the wall, keeping the beast in. Sly tried to open it only to be stopped by the padlock. "It's no use it's locked."

"Try this." She pushed the key in Sly's hand.

"How did you get this?" He asked, immediately going to work with it.

"I'll explain it later, just open the gate before we are snake food." Speaking of the devil, the trees started to sway by something big. "And hurry up, I think it found us again."

Right to her word, the snake barreled out of between the trees, having one goal on its mind "Hurry up."

"I am going as fast as I can love." To her relief she heard the lock unlock, wasting no time Sly put his weight in the gate pushing it open, pulling Sam along in the progress. There was no time to close it, Sly pushed her to the ground protecting her with his body. Waiting for their death.

After a couple of seconds, they dared to open their eyes, looking up they saw that the snake had ignored them completely, preferring its freedom over its snacks.

In its escape, it barreled through the gate blocking the factory like it was made paper before disappearing into the water.

"Are you okay?" Sly looked down at her, giving her a concerned look.

"I'm fine, could you get off of me." He looked at his body still positioned very close to her's.

"Well, I kind of like this position." He gave her his charming smile.

Having none of it she pushed him off. "Buy me a drink first." Holding her hand out she helped him up.

"Let's go see the others." Sly started to lead her back to the camp.

 _ **"That was fun, we should do it again."**_

The sultry voice boomed in her head, "Your not going to trick me again." She threatened the disembodied voice.

Sly looked confused back her, sensing she wasn't following. She looked still confused and not fully to her senses. "Are you alright."

Pushing the voice back she gave a pained smile at the raccoon trying to reassure him. "I'm fine lets go back."

 _ **"The night is still young my child and there are still a couple of dolls I can play with."**_

* * *

 **Leave a review, so I know you are enjoying the story, what I can improve or just tell me what you think about it.**


	15. Chapter 15: Descent Into Danger

**Descent Into Danger**

* * *

Bentley could feel the guilt gnawing at his insides. It made sure he wouldn't forget what he did. He was relieved when he saw Sly return with Sam. It was short-lived, the look on her face wasn't one of anger or fury.

No, it was one off pure distrust. He wanted to explain himself, apologize for what he did. But even he knew that she needed her space for now. From what he heard from Sly, they were lucky he had found her in time, or she would have been snake food.

The first chance he got he would talk to her. Now he needed to clear his mind and find a way to infiltrate the factory. At least something good came out of the whole fallout. The serpent created an entrance right into the heart of her operation, the ghost production facility. How silly it sounded, he was still fully convinced Mz. Ruby was going to conquer Haiti with ghosts.

Rubbing his temples, he tried to relieve the pressure from it. It felt like his head was full of static. It was making everything harder to do, the nightmares didn't really help the matter. He couldn't allow it to affect him further, he ruined already too much.

Bentley looked up from his plans, seeing that Sly had joined him at the table. His friend didn't look much better than how he was currently feeling himself. The whole heist had taken a lot out of all them. How long ago had they stopped for a decent meal? Once this job was done they would rest for a couple of days, he would make sure of it.

"How's she doing?"

Sly let out a sigh, not really knowing what to say. "She's sleeping." He moved next to his friend, patting him on his back. "Give her time."

He appreciated what his friend was trying to do, but they had other priorities now. "At least we can access to the factory now." He rolled out a blueprint showing a map of what looked like a giant propeller. "This is our target."

Sly looked confused at the plans, turning them around trying to make sense out of the images. "How will a dreamcatcher! help us."

"Dreamcatcher?"

"Yeah, look here." Sly grabbed his friend around the neck, bringing him closer so they could both see the blueprints.

"You see this round thing, that you put on the wall while the rectangle things hang down from it." Sly pointed at different parts of the plan, trying to convince his friend.

Bentley pushed the back of his hand against the raccoon's forehead. "I think you got a fever, I told you before you should rest more."

"No, I'm serious. Wait." He held up his hand for Bentley to wait, "MURRAY!"

"What's the matter?" The hippo appeared having heard his name.

"What's this to you?" He held up the plans to his friend's face.

Murray studied them in depth trying to figure out what his friends were going on about. His face cleared up finally gotten it. "An eggbeater"

Sly already's smug face deflated. "What?! How do you see an eggbeater in this? It's a dream catcher!"

Murray looked once more at the plans. "Are you sure, Sly? I don't really see it."

"Yes, I'm sure. Here look, you see this round thing?"

Murray nodded his head in full attention. "That's to turn the little rectangle things on the side so, the eggs get stirred."

"What no!" Sly took another look at the plans, keeping it further from him hoping to see what Murray was going on about.

"Can we be serious for once. It's no Dreamcatcher" He pointed a finger at Sly. "No egg beater." He turned over to Murray. "It's a factory."

"No, Murray is right. It's an eggbeater. I can see it now." Sly answered to Bentley's surprise. "I was completely wrong. I'm sorry Murray, I should have seen it immediately."

Bentley grabbed the plans from Sly's hands. In unbelief, he looked over them. In his eyes, it was clearly a factory. It was simple, the round thing would spin and the rectangle things would beat….

Moving the plan out of the way he looked right into Sly's smug face. "You see it too, don't you?"

"NO" He almost shouted not wanting to give into his friend. "Can we be serious for a moment." He placed the plans back down turning to his friends. "So Sly will infiltrate the egg beater."

The moment the words left his mouth Sly burst out in laughter, Murray couldn't keep himself from following his friend's example. Holding their bellies they supported each other. Meanwhile, Bentley's face became as red as a tomato, having no words to defend himself.

After a minute of laughter, Bentley finally got them to stop laughing so he could continue his explanation.

"At this moment Mz. Ruby is untouchable so Sly needs to infiltrate the FACTORY." He emphasized the word, still getting snickers from his friends. "You'll need to up the pressure in the system so that you get catapulted right into her lair." To emphasize his point he drew a stick figure representing Sly, getting shot up through a steam-powered platform right into the crocodile shaped temple's mouth.

"Once your inside, you defeat Mz. Ruby. Snatch her part of the Thievius Raccoonus and we get out of here before anything else goes wrong."

"Got it, operation eggbeater is a go." Sly mock saluted, leaving his friends alone in the hideout.

Bentley couldn't stop a smile from appearing on his face. He could always count on Sly to make him laugh and forget about his worries, even if it was only for a moment.

"I'll go check up on Sam." Murray followed after his friend, not really wanting to leave the girl out of his sight. It didn't go unnoticed to him, that he wasn't the only one to feel guilty about what happened.

First things first, they needed to get out of here as quickly as possible and then everything could go back to normal. At least he hoped.

* * *

Murray entered the van, now repurposed as a makeshift bedroom. Sam lying in one of the camp beds they had brought. The three friends had immediately agreed that she would sleep there while they would stay outside.

Murray didn't really care he could almost sleep anywhere, Sly almost didn't sleep during a job. Bentley was the only one who complained a little, but even he didn't put up a fight.

"Are you going to keep standing there?" He jumped up a little not having noticed she had woken up.

"I'm sorry didn't mean to wake you up." He moved closer, pushing a plate with a sandwich on it in her hands. It felt like a deja-vu of their first meeting.

At least this time he had remembered to leave the tomatoes, out. With the plate in her hands, he sat down on one of the crates littered throughout the vehicle.

She pushed herself up a little, giving herself a better position so she could eat without making too much of a mess. "Don't worry, I wasn't sleeping. I have been lying here for the last hour with my eyes wide open." She gave him a weak smile, trying to stop him from worrying about her. Only for it to have the opposite effect.

"Do you need something, like warm milk or more blankets. Are those pillows good enough, wait I'll fluff them up." He tried to reach over only to be stopped by her.

"Calm down, big guy. Everything is all right. I don't need anything, I just have a little bit too much adrenaline left in my body." Murray wasn't convinced but backed off giving her a little bit more space.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the conversation. Murray not really knowing what to say. While she enjoyed her food, once she started she was surprised to find herself hungrier then first thought. He probably should have left her alone, giving her time to rest. But he couldn't, it didn't feel right to leave her alone right now.

"So how's Sly doing?" Sam cut through the silence.

Murray perked up at the question, happy to talk about anything. "Bentley has found a way to get into the temple," At the mention of the turtle's name she couldn't keep herself from looking a little bit sad, Murray opted to ignore it for the now and continue. "We are going to try to use an eggbeater to catapult Sly into the temple."

She raised one eyebrow, questioning herself if she heard her friend right. "Did you just say an eggbeater?"

Murray nodded in confirmation, "Yes, you should see it. It's a giant eggbeater. But instead of eggs, it stirs ectoplasm or something like that, at least that's what Bentley says."

"Okay, and you're sure it's an eggbeater? If it's not even used for eggs is it still qualified to be called an eggbeater." She tried her friend to realize it was probably not what he thought what it was.

"Well, Sly thought it was a dreamcatcher at first." He said in the most serious voice. "I didn't really see how he got there. Once I showed him, he realized his mistake."

At that she couldn't stop herself from laughing, imaging Sly and Murray with serious faces looking at the blueprints, trying to convince the turtle that it was an eggbeater.

Taking hold of herself she looked back at the hippo. He smiled back only the happiness never reached his eyes. "Are you all right?"

Murray looked surprised at her. Not expecting the subject to change to him. "I'm fine, as always. Making sure that the van is ready to leave, that you aren't too hungry." A corner of his mouth went up at the last remark.

"And I appreciate it." She emphasized her point by taking a bite out of her sandwich. "But really are you all right."

"I'm fine." He failed to convince her. She raised an eyebrow showing him that's she didn't believe him. "It's just that I feel responsible for you almost getting eaten. If I just had helped Sly look for you. We could have found you faster, and then maybe you wouldn't have gotten locked up with that beast."

He was brought out of his rambling by a light pressure on his hand. Sam had positioned herself on the edge of the bed, having put the empty plate aside. "Don't worry about it, what happened, happened, nothing you can change about it. We were just lucky that it ended like it did."

"And what if something had happened." Murray wouldn't give in.

"Stil a big if, it wouldn't have been your fault. If I hadn't been so stubborn, if I hadn't run into the forest, I wouldn't have brought Sly into danger." She hoped her point of view would bring his mood a little bit back up.

"It wasn't your fault, nobody blamed for how you reacted. Even Bentley keeps blaming himself for what he did."

She couldn't keep the scowl from her face, Bentley's words still hurt. "See why should you blame yourself, for what happened? We can only improve ourselves to make a better future. Do you understand?"

She tightened her grip on his hands to emphasize her point. "At least that's what my mother used to tell me."

"She sounds like a wonderful woman." Murray quietly whispered impressed by her words.

"She was. Do you like wrestling" Murray looked weirdly at the sudden change of topic?

"I've never really paid attention to it. So I can't say I have." Murray answered honestly.

"First thing we are out of the jungle, we go to a wrestling match." Sam excitedly proposed.

"I don't know, I don't really like violence. It makes me a little queasy." Murray tried to find a way to get out of it, not really seeing the joy in going to watch two persons hurt each other for fun. He left the fighting to Sly.

"No excuses, me, you and two guys fighting for physical supremacy. What's not to like." She thought fondly back at the times, Seb had brought her to wrestling matches. Normally she would be attending ballet class at that exact moment. But after a boring first class, Seb had proposed once per month he would take her to a wrestling match instead of ballet.

It became one of her favorite moments, she just loved the whole celebrity like the mentality of the fighters and the pure fury with which they fought. And if she was being honest some of the fighters weren't that bad looking either.

Murray still didn't look convinced. "Come on, please. It's just one night. I'll even buy you the biggest bucket of popcorn I can find." She wiggled her eyebrows hoping the food bribe would convince him.

Looking at her, he reluctantly nodded his head. A smile appeared on her face. Murray could stop himself from following her example, happy that this small gesture made her so excited.

Feeling the excitement being replaced by exhaustion, she laid her head back down on the pillow. "I think you'll like it." She hadn't laid down properly or she was already asleep, leaving Murray alone thinking about her words.

Deciding to let her rest he moved as quietly as his massive body could out of the van, her words still left in his head. 'Improve myself, to make a better future.' Taking one look back at her his eyes filled with determination, he made a promise to himself. He would protect his friends whatever it took.

* * *

When she opened her eyes again, she was met with darkness. Everything still hurt, if she focused too much on it even breathing started to hurt. With an effort she lifted herself back up from the bed, her muscles aching in protest. Finding her way around the van, her hands came in contact with the metal door handle giving it a good push she was outside. At the looks of it, not much time had passed at most a couple of hours.

Sly would probably have almost finished his work, at least she hoped. The sooner they could leave the jungle the happier she would be. Her dislike for it only increased when she learned that not only was it too humid and full of bugs, but there were also snakes ten times her size who would love to have her as lunch.

Trying to find Sly or Murray she made her way to the makeshift HQ, hoping to find one of them there. Getting closer she could make out the figure, Bentley, bent over his blueprints. With a heavy sigh she moved closer it was no use to keep avoiding him.

Arriving at the table she looked over the plans scattered all over the surface, Bentley was so deep in thoughts that he hadn't even noticed her coming closer.

Her eye fell on one of the plans, what looked like a giant… eggbeater. She couldn't stiffen a snort realizing what Murray was going on about. Taking a closer look she could see what he meant.

The laugh got the turtle's attention, who's head shot up, there eyes meeting each other. Immediately he avoided her gaze back to the plans. Like he didn't want her to see his face.

"Are.. you feeling ok." Bentley had trouble getting the words out.

"I'll be fine." She tried to not let her anger seep into her voice, still feeling a little bit uncomfortable around the turtle. She knew from Murray that he felt sorry for his actions, still, it would take some time to not feel on edge around him.

For a moment it looked like he wanted to say something only to swallow his words back in, again shifting his focus to the plans.

"Where are Sly and Murray?" She grabbed one of the plans, it looked like a giant crocodile head, which she assumed was the temple they tried to get into.

"Sly's is getting everything ready, for our final step. Murray should be around here somewhere I don't know exactly where he is." He looked around trying to find his pink friend from his current position.

"So what's the plan exactly?" She tried to keep the conversation going, preferring to talk about anything else. Then let the silence, or the voice come back.

Bentley shyly grabbed a plan, showing her the infamous eggbeater. "This is the factory that's currently producing the ectoplasm for Mz. Ruby's army. If we can sabotage it, we can build up the pressure coming from the heat produced by the machine. With that, we create a makeshift catapult."

"And shoot Sly right into the temple?" She showed him the plan of the temple trying to emphasize her point. Bently quietly nodded at her assessment. "And what after that?" He could hear the same accusing tone she had right before his outburst.

"I don't know." Bentley reluctantly admitted. He didn't like Sly going in dark, in the previous jobs, he had at least an idea of what for defenses and security measures there were installed. Now he was shooting his friend right into the belly of the beast, without any advice to give him. Who knows the spot they were aiming for would land his friend right into a room full of guards or had a drop behind it. He had no idea were Sly was going to end up and he didn't like it. Already too much went wrong during this trip.

He rubbed his head in frustration. "Are you all right?" She asked unsure like she didn't really know if it was the right thing to say.

He looked up surprised, not expecting the question to come from her. He expected her to fight his plans, to say that they could be better, he didn't expect her to be concerned for him.

"Just a headache." He dismissed the question. "Haven't slept all right for the last couple of nights."

She just nodded at his explanation, not really wanting to go further into it. Having the feeling that the conversation wasn't going to be continued. she laid the plans back with the intention to find Murray to keep her company.

"Sam…" She turned herself around at Bentley, looking at him expectantly waiting for him to say something.

"I just wanted to say…" He started to crumple the plans in his hands trying to find his words, with a deep sigh he calmed his nerves. "Forget about it."

She nodded, in understanding. With her leaving Bentley was left alone again.

In frustration he crumpled the plan further up, throwing it on the ground. He could feel the pressure building up again in his head. Pushing it back he continued his work, he wouldn't let it affect the job a second time.

* * *

"I'm in position." Sly was currently looking over the factory, the last key in his hand ready to confront Mz. Ruby.

"Okay, there is not much advice I can give you, you are going to go in blind." Bentley's voice sounded over the binocucom.

"Just the way I like it." Sly quipped.

"Not the way I like it. There is too much that can go wrong." Bentley let his frustration know.

"Don't worry about it, I just go in an out. Easy peasy. I'll be back in no time." With that said he closed the binocucom before Bentley could answer. Making his way to the top of the factory. He unlocked the pressure valve system. Turning the valve the effects were immediately visible the machine started working overtime, pressure building up. The lid holding in the ectoplasm started to float on top of the air. Ready to catapult him right into the lair of the crocodile.

Positioning himself on the lid, he could feel the pressure building under it. Saying a final prayer the lid shot up, the pressure winning the battle against the giant rock lid.

After a short journey through the air, he felt gravity take effect again, on his way down he tried to influence his direction as best as possible so he wouldn't end as a pancake on the wall of the temple.

A month ago he wouldn't have trusted himself to do this, but after reading through the pages his ancestors had left behind, learning from them he could say full confidence he would make it with ease.

Like he thought he landed without a problem right into the open mouth of the structure. And Right into a long room filled with the ectoplasm. At the end of it, he came eye to eye with his target. Mz. Ruby.

"Mmm. I could feel that Cooper vibe coming. Most distastefully bad juju." She greeted him with her heavy Haiti accent.

"Yeah well, you give me the creeps too, lady. Cooking up an army of ghosts isn't a very neighborly pastime" He threw back at her, making sure to keep her in his sight, ready for any surprise that could happen.

"Oh, but your friends didn't protest all too much when I tempted them with a little voodoo. That little green snack even jumped to do my bidding."

"What do you mean?" He didn't like the way she was talking about his friends, afraid she had hurt them.

"Don't worry about them right now." A vicious smile appeared on the crocodile, like the predator she was looking at her next prey. "My attention is now purely focused on you, Sly Cooper."

* * *

So I'm back. Sorry I took so long.

This chapter we had the effect of what happened in the last chapter. The relation between Bentley and Sam has taken one giant step backward, but a couple of little steps forward. The consequences of his words will be still felt for a time to come.

So next chapter the showdown between Mz. Ruby and Sly Cooper. Like you guys may have noticed I like to let things happen differently in the boss fights. This one will be no exception it will even change a lot more than the previous two where I just changed the flow of it a little.

With that, all said I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.

 **Leave a review, so I know you are enjoying the story, what I can improve or just tell me what you think about it.**


	16. Chapter 16: A Deadly Dance

**A Deadly Dance**

* * *

"Anything yet," Murray asked nervously. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

"Nothing," Bentley hadn't left the radio's side since that Sly had broken radio contact.

"We should go after him." Sam shared her thoughts.

"And do what?"Bentley shot up, raising his voice. Taking a deep breath he calmed his anger. "We can't even get close to the temple without encountering a guard."

"Sly's not the only one who can fight." She countered.

"And who would that be? You? You can't even set two steps without already being exhausted let stand fight off a couple of guards." Bentley tried to keep his voice calm, making sure she saw his point of view.

"I can take Murray." She tried, the hippo reluctantly nodded his head in confirmation.

"And what if they have guns." He stepped in front of them blocking the way out. "We'll wait another ten minutes, if he's not back by then we'll see what we can do."

"What if he's dead by then." She asked him without any emotion in her voice.

Bentley looked over at his friend to see what he had to say. The hippo looked a little deflated not ready to choose a side in the argument.

"We'll need to trust Sly. We can't do anything for him now."

With a glare she sat back down, understanding Bentley's reasoning. It still didn't mean she needed to like it one bit.

Taking up a look at the giant crocodile structure it looked back at her taunting her to take action. Forcing her head down she started to draw stick figures in the mud, anything to get her thoughts away from Sly.

A noise came out from the shrubbery putting the team on alert. Sam jumped up ready to defend them from whomever or whatever was making the noise. Even Murray got up his raising his fists shakily in front of them.

The sound came closer and closer until the leaves parted ways revealing the signature blue color of Sly's clothes.

He stumbled out of the green, his clothes in tatters. Looking up his face could be clearly seen, bruises were spread across it. He gave them a smile before falling unconscious.

* * *

He shifted in his sleep, battling against his own nightmares. Putting a wet rag on his forehead Sam tried to lessen his pain. It helped a little. Seeing him calm down, at the touch of the cold cloth.

'What happened, to you?' Once he had arrived back, Murray had carried his friend to the camp bed in the van. Bentley looked him over coming to the conclusion he was getting a fever from his injuries. There was not much they could do at the moment but hope that he could fight it off.

He leaned his face into her hand, a small smile appear on his face. She followed his example and didn't make any motion to remove her hand.

For the last couple of minutes, she had been staying at his side trying to lessen his pain a little. Looking him over, it didn't feel right to see him like this. Gone was the confident raccoon.

Murray's head appeared in the van door. "Bentley wants to speak with us." He whispered as quietly as he could.

She nodded in understanding, one last time she dipped the rag in cold water, placing it on his head. Gently removing her hand in the process. A scowl appeared on his face not happy with the touch of her hand.

Looking one last time over her shoulder she followed her friend.

"How is he?" Bentley hadn't seen her face yet or he was already on her worried about his friend's state.

"As good as can be. The fever is slowly leaving his body. It looks like he isn't going to go out without a fight." She sat down on one of the chairs, the tiredness still in her body. "We can't stay here."

"I agree," Bentley answered.

"What are we going to do then? We still don't have the papers of the Thievius Raccoonus." Murray was worried about Sly but knew his friend wouldn't be happy if he found out they had left Mz. Ruby alone with his heritage. "And the whole Haiti takeover?"

Sam left out a heavy sigh. "We can't do much, I'm too injured to go after her and Bentley and you would never make it there in one piece. No offense."

Murray gave her a lopsided smile, indicating he didn't mind.

"So the only way to go is to pack in, regroup somewhere else and try another time with a better plan." Bentley decides, knowing fully well that the failure of the mission was mostly his fault. "Who knows, Sly could have led her right here to our position."

"He would never do that." Murray defended his friend.

"Not on purpose, but you also saw how he arrived. We can't take any risk."

"Fine." Sam sighed, just wanting to get out of here, throwing one last glance at the monstrosity of a temple she followed Murray cleaning up.

Grabbing all the plans from the table, she stuffed them as quickly as possible in the backpacks. Bentley would probably complain that they weren't ordered properly but they were on a too tight schedule for her to care now.

The table cleared, Murray showed his strength by lifting it above his head. Bringing it to the van.

Having almost cleaned up and packed everything. The only thing missing was one last backpack, containing the last of the files and the Thievius Raccoonus. Grabbing it Sam threw it on her shoulder ready to leave.

The trio had gathered around the vehicle when suddenly the door opened. "Sly?" Murray immediately made it over to him worried that he was too tired to be already moving. Sly shoved him back in response.

"Are you alright." Bentley kept a little bit distance, feeling something wasn't right.

"Fine, just a headache," Sly said in a monotone voice. He passed Murray not even apologizing or helping his friend back up. "I need the book." Opening his hand, waiting for someone to give it to him.

Sam's grasp tightened on the backpack fully knowing, which book he meant. "Sly you should lay back down. You have been hit in the head pretty hard." She reached out with one hand, trying to guide him back to the van.

"Give me the book." Slapping her hand away, he came closer. His voice didn't give away any emotion, no anger, no desperation, nothing.

Bentley and Murray started to circle Sly, trying to calm him down. "Sly we just want you to be safe. If you go lay back down we will give you the book." Bentley tried to get through to his friend.

Snapping his head around, Sly focused on Bentley. Moving towards the turtle he got right in front of him. Bentley tried to take a few steps back, only for Sly to lift him right up, by his arms, to his eye level . "Give me the book."

Bentley couldn't say anything. Terrified of seeing his friend like this. Looking into his eyes it only confirmed that Sly was under influence of something or someone. Gone were his chocolate brown eyes, a milky white film had covered them. Giving the impression he was blind.

He couldn't stop himself from glancing to the backpack on Sam's shoulder. It was a small glance, but Sly immediately noticed it. Dropping the turtle he made his way over to her. "Give me the book."

This time he immediately grabbed the bag, trying to wrestle it out of her hands. Sam's instincts taking over she, grabbed his hand, flipping him right over her body on to the ground.

The next thing that happened put them all on edge. Sly raised himself without using his hands. It looked like he was pulled up by strings like a marionette.

"Bentley." She tried to get the turtles attention, who was still in shock at the things happening in front of him. "Bentley!" She raised her voice a little shocking him to attention.

"Yeah." still his eyes not leaving Sly, he tried to listen to what Sam had to say.

Sly was now upright again, looking at them he started slowly walking in their direction. It felt just like the terminator, coming to kill them.

Sam pushed the bag into Murray's hands. "Murray and I will keep him busy. You are going to need to go find the one who's controlling him." She didn't remove her eyes from her friend.

"What?! No that's a bad idea. Like you said I can't go to the forest, I would never make it to the temple." Bentley tried to protest fully knowing who she meant by the one who was controlling him. "And even if I made it, what am I going to do against her?"

"Bentley, calm down." She positioned herself between Bentley, Murray, and Sly, raising her fists ready to stop him from grabbing the book. "The way Sly is acting, Murray and I can try to hold him. In the meantime he's still under her control, we don't know how much she can hurt him. The longer she has him in her grasp, the more he's in danger."

Bentley didn't like the idea at all. "Is there no other way?" He tried to think of something else.

"The headaches." She simply stated. "You had them too. You know how she can influence a person so easily. And by the looks of it, she has dug her claws deep into him." Bentley looked surprised at her, fully knowing what she was talking about.

Sly had enough of the talking shooting in action, he started running right for them. Sam readied herself for the attack that was going to come. Instead of going right for them, he jumped up, like only Sly could. Making a beeline for Murray and the backpack. The hippo stood in shock not expecting his friend to go right for him. Sly almost had almost his hand on the target when he felt a tug on his leg, making him just miss it and again fall face first on the ground.

Looking over his shoulder he saw that Sam was the one who grabbed him. "Bentley! Go!" She shouted to get the turtle moving. Sly started kicking his leg trying to get out of her grasp, to no avail. Making sure the opportunity wouldn't go to waste she jumped onto the raccoon's back. "Bentley!" She shouted again, trying to keep Sly down, who was surprisingly stronger than he looked.

The turtle snapped out his stupor, looking one last time at Murray he started running into the forest, on the way he made a little detour scrambling to find something between the already packed items. His eyes falling on the object he was looking for, throwing one glance back he saw that Sly had thrown Sam from him, again making his way to Murray.

Stopping he tried to make his way back to help hem. "Bentley! Stop wasting your time and GO!" Sam's voice stopped him in his tracks. She immediately grabbed Sly under the armpits, trying to keep him away from Murray. Taking one last look back he made his way through the shrubbery, putting his trust in Murray and Sam to help Sly, just like they put their trust in him to stop Mz. Ruby.

* * *

"Sly, Calm down." She started to feel the pain in her muscles flare up again, the fact that the Sly was twisting in every way possible wasn't helping. Murray moved his back to the van trying to keep away from his friend so set on getting a hold on the backpack.

Getting an opening, Sly's elbow shot right in her face, loosening her grip on him. Not wasting the opportunity he pushed himself off her right to the Hippo. Murray, fell on the ground, Sly right on top of him. He tried to push him off but, Sly kept clinging on trying to get the backpack off his back. "Sly, stop don't do this. I don't wanna hurt you."

The world wouldn't stop spinning around her, still feeling the effects of Sly's elbow hit. Massaging her jaw she pushed herself back up again, getting her bearings. She made her way over to two wrestling friends. Grabbing him at the shirt she pulled him from Murray.

Sly was immediately back on his feet this time he tried to go right past her. Only for Sam to spartan kick him back to the ground. "Sly, calm down, I don't want to hurt you."

It didn't look like he was going to listen, instead, he pulled out his cane. Twirling it in his hands he approached again, hell-bent on getting past her. "Get out of my way."

* * *

Bentley cursed his asthma with every fiber of his being. How Sly could do this hours on end without rest he would never understand. The heavy load he was carrying didn't help it at all. Still, this didn't stop him, he couldn't afford to rest right now, not while his friends were fighting each other.

Making his way through the shrubbery he arrived at his destination, the factory. At the looks of it, they hadn't had the time yet to fix the pressure, the lid still floating on the hot air, waiting for another passenger. It even looked like the guards had abandoned the place making sure not to get hurt by the hot air.

He just needed to get on the giant rock slab, get catapulted meters into the air, then while gravity pulled him back making sure to land right into the open mouth of the temple or he would be a pancake. And then hopefully land correctly or break a leg in the process. 'Great nothing to worry about.'

Taking another look at the factory didn't stop his stomach from turning. Why did he need to be the one to do this. When his eyes fell on a lone guard, standing post at the main entrance to the temple, an idea popped in his head. Taking a look between the lid and the guard his choice was easily made.

Gasping for air he left his hiding spot and made his way to the rat. When the man finally noticed him he raised his gun. "Hold right there, what are you doing here?"

"H-Hello" He tried not agitate the guard any further. "I'm looking for an Mz. Ruby."

"This is private property. How did you even get in here?" The guard came closer shining his lantern right into his face.

Bentley squinted his eyes trying to get a better look at the man. "Well, I-I'm with Henderson and Henderson legal advise bureau. Mz. Ruby wanted some legal counseling about hostile takeovers." Putting his hand into his pocket the guard immediately raised his gun. "C-calm down I'm just taking my business card." This time calmer he pulled out a candy wrapper.

The guard removed the light from his face, taking a good look at the little piece of paper. Turning it a couple of times around, scratching not fully understanding what was written on it. "Are you sure this a business card? It looks more like a candy wrapper." He looked intently at the turtle.

"We are trying to reach out to our y-younger audience. If I'm being honest I don't fully understand it either. But what are you going to do if your bosses decide it." Bentley tried to give his best smile, trying to convince the guard.

"And what's that thing in your arms?" The guard pointed at the bundle.

"W-Well we like to give new clients a gift." The guard grabbed the cloth lifting it up seeing what was under it.

Bentley prepared himself to dash away, once the man saw the object. "Nice model, is that one out the 18th century?" The man whistled seeing the beauty.

"Y-yes nothing b-but the best for our clients." Bentley tried to hide his surprise.

"Fine, I'm not getting paid enough of for this anyway. Just go inside." The guard stepped out of the way. Bentley looked shocked at the man not really expecting it to work. Stepping inside he nodded in thanks to the rat before the door closed.

Now he was alone right into the belly of the beast. Why again was he the one that needed to do this?

* * *

When she first saw the cane, she thought it was a little eccentric not understanding how he would prefer a stick over a real weapon.

Now that she was seeing at what speed and power he was using said stick, she would never make fun of it again.

At the best of her ability, she was trying to dodge the weapon. Seeing at the many times it came close to hitting her, it was obvious that Sly was superior in speed and agility. Which she made up with her more experienced fighting style and durability.

"Sly, snap out of it." She felt the cane hit her arm, "I don't want to hurt you." Knee. "You're better than this." dodge. "Murray I could use your help here." Stomach.

While all this was going on, Murray looked conflicted between his two friends. He knew that he needed to help Sam, but he couldn't. Afraid he would hurt his friend.

Seeing that no reaction came from Murray, Sam decided to go on the offensive. Noticing an opening she dodged right under another swing. Throwing all her body weight into him she tackled him to the ground.

Pinning him down she stopped him from moving. "Sly, Stop!". Not listing to any of her pleas, he used his feet to kick her off. Hitting the ground hard, she felt all the air, being pushed out of her lungs, Sam gasped for any precious oxygen clutching her stomach.

Sly was back on Murray, his patience run out Sly hit his friend right in the stomach doubling him over. Giving him the opportunity to grab the backpack. With both of them down he grabbed the Thievius Raccoonus without any effort.

"All this for a little book, pathetic." His monotone voice sneered at them. Making his way over to Sam "I expected more from the great Cooper gang." He brought his cane back up to knock her unconscious.

* * *

The swamp hideout was an ideal hideout. Hidden deep into the Haitian swamps, semi-impossible to find without knowledge of where it is. Once you found it, it was another challenge to get inside. Protected by voodoo powers, a giant snake and multiple guards, nobody with his right mind would try to get inside.

One fatal flaw was that once you got inside of the heart of the operation, there was nobody to stop you. This was how Bentley was currently finding himself walking through the empty halls of the temple.

Creeping through the halls, he noticed one thing, Mz. Ruby was a fan of the macabre style. Almost every wall was decorated with bones and other body parts. Luckily they were fake, at least that was what he hoped.

Making it to the top of the building he finally found a door with light behind it. "Get out of my way." A heavy Haitian accent could be heard from behind it.

Taking a look inside it, he saw his target. The crocodile was sitting on her own tail holding a little raccoon puppet in her hand, that had an uncanny resemblance to Sly.

Sam was right, Sly was controlled by her. He didn't know how she was doing it, but he was sure that he would put a stop to it.

"What stench am I smelling." He retracted his head from the doorway trying to hide from her. "Has another little creature walked into my domain. Come out, I know you are there." Taking a deep breath, he gathered all his courage. He came out of his hiding spot right into Mz. Ruby's view.

A predatory smile appeared on her face. "Well, if it isn't Bentley. Are you here to rescue your friend."

His whole body told him to run, to get away as far as possible from her. "I'm h-here to get h-him out of your filthy claws."

"Well, well. Has our little turtle found his courage? Who put you up to do this? It was Sam wasn't it." A headache was starting to come back in his head. His vision swimming he tried to keep his focus on the crocodile. "She's always liked playing the leader, interfering in how the team was working. Ruining the job. Taking away your friends from you."

He could hear her voice inside as outside his head. Whatever she was doing, it was influencing him. His body started to move out of himself, dropping the bundle and turning around back from where he came. "Why don't you go show her, that you don't need her. That you never needed her."

That wasn't true, they needed her. He stopped right in front of the door. "Just go, go help Sly. He needs your help." Yes, he needed his help. "She's hurting him, go help him." Yes, she was hurting him.

He grabbed his head in pain, his own thoughts trying to fight their way out. "Do it for the good of the team." She's trying to protect the book. "She thinks she knows everything." She's trying to help him. "She's hurting him."

It was him who hurt her.

He listened to the voice before, it made him hurt her, his friends. He brought his team in danger. Not again, he promised himself he wouldn't allow it again.

Pushing the voice down, he stumbled back to where he dropped his bundle. "Stop!" he could hear her voice desperately trying to stop him, but he kept going. Reaching the object he removed the cloth, revealing a medieval crossbow, fully loaded ready to fire. Almost too big for him to carry, he lifted the weapon and blindly fired at her.

* * *

Sam looked right up hoping to see any sign of the real Sly. Only to see him lift his weapon, she wanted to get up but her muscles couldn't handle the strain anymore.

Just when he was going to bring his cane down on her, Murray shot into action.

"Leave her alone!" Murray mustered all his courage together, he had enough of seeing his friends fight like this. Grabbing Sly from behind, he held him in a bear hug. Making it unable for the raccoon to move.

For all the speed and agility Sly had, it was no match against the strength of the Hippo. "Sly calm down, this is for your own good."

Sam lifted herself up, helping Murray tie their friend down making sure he couldn't hurt them or himself. Making one last time sure the ropes were secured Sam left out a tired sigh. Her body was aching all over, pretty sure she wouldn't leave her bed for the next couple of days.

"Nice job." She held up her fist to Murray, a little proud of her friend overcoming his fear.

Murray took his eyes from his still struggling friend. To find Sam waiting for him to return the gesture. A little reluctant still not feeling good about having hurt his friend he bumped her fist, getting a beaming smile from the wolf.

"Watch my words, I'm going to make a fighter out of you." She grabbed the book from where it fell, placing it safely back in the backpack. Looking back at her friend, she saw him staring in concern to the temple. Worried about his other friend. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "He'll be alright."

"Yeah, he'll be fine. He's tougher than he looks." Murray said full conviction.

* * *

"You'll pay for this, turtle." Mz. Ruby furiously shouted at Bentley. Clutching one hand in pain were the arrow hit her while the other was gathering magic, ready to fry the turtle.

"It was you! You made me say those things." Bentley was as furious as Mz. Ruby, loading another arrow in the crossbow. "Hurt my friends!"

"Hahaha, I just nurtured your thoughts you already had." A green triangle appeared in her hand, shooting it straight for Bentley's head. "You wanted her gone."

Bentley ducked in time the green energy passing harmlessly above him. "You were the one in my head, feeding me lies, manipulating me." Firing the arrow he could feel the recoil push him a little back. The arrow sailed right above Mz. Ruby.

"Just keep telling yourself that, we both know that's not true." This time she fired a pink square at him. Bentley jumped to the right just in time, still feeling the heat of the spell touch his skin.

"I never wanted to hurt them." He fired the next arrow again missing her by a mile.

"Are you sure you didn't want to hurt them? You were always second rate. Next, to Sly's thieving abilities, you're nothing. Then Sam arrived knocking you even further down in the shadows." Red energy appearing her hand she threw a circle formed projectile at him. He jumped to the left, just not fast enough feeling the energy hitting his side. "Hahaha, Now you don't even get any attention from Sly anymore, it all goes to her and you resent her for it. You wanted to hurt her as much as possible, so when I gave you the opportunity you took it without hesitation."

"That's true." Clutching his side, with a lot of effort, he readied the next arrow. "I made those mistakes, I will carry them with me." He powered through the pain by aiming the weapon right on her. "But you tried to kill them, took control of Sly, stole his legacy … killed his parents. I'll make you pay for that." Pressing the trigger the arrow flew out of the holder straight for Mz. Ruby.

Only for the arrow go to much to the right missing her completely. "Hahaha, You are going to stop me? How did you think of that, if you can't even aim that little toy of yours properly."

A smile appeared on Bentley's face. "I wasn't aiming for you." Mz Ruby turned around hoping to find what he was aiming for. Only to see the three arrows sticking pointlessly in the wall. Realising the turtle had fooled her she tried to react only it was too late. Feeling a sharp pain in her, shoulder. Reaching for it, she felt a little dart. Pulling it out she saw a green substance drip from the tip.

"You little… twermp." Whatever was in the dart, was spreading fast. Already feeling the numbness in her tongue. Readying her voodoo to fry the turtle, her hand lost control falling aimlessly next to her body. "What hawe you dwone two me?" She charged at him, if her voodoo wasn't going to work, she would do it with her own hands. Before she could make it to him her legs gave in, making her fall snout first into the ground.

Bentley moved over to her, crouching down looking her in the eyes. "Just, a little tranquilizer I made. It's not on point yet. Normally it should have put you to sleep in three seconds. It looks like I'll need to do a couple of adjustments." She watched him walk over to her desk, grabbing her part of Thievius Raccoonus unable to do anything.

"You are smawter then me twurtle. But it won't helwp you none if you're fixing to go aftwer the Panda Kwing. He's twough with a cwapital T. If you go pwoking around his swtronghold in Chwina, you're likely to get, pwoked back."

"Thanks for the information. But I'll think we'll manage." Bentley crouched down in front of her. "Have you ever met your treasurer?"

"Twreasurer? Yweah I've mwet the swlime ball." She answered not really knowing why he was interested.

"Is this him?" Bentley showed her a photo.

"Nwo that's nwot him."

"Are you sure?" Bentley brought the picture closer to her face.

"Mwy tongue may nwot work cwomptley, but my ewyes are just fine." She snarked back.

Bentley put the photo back in his pocket. "Who is he then?"

"Why would I twell you?"

Sirens could be heard in the distance. "It looks like I'm out of time. Have fun in prison Mz. Ruby"

With that Bentley left Mz. Ruby, ready to be arrested by Carmelita.

* * *

Sirens started to sound around them, red and blue lights filing the forest. "We need to leave!"

Sam grabbed the backpack loading it into the van. Murray lifted up Sly, who fell asleep a couple of minutes prior. Gently putting him down into the back. "We can't leave Bentley behind." He protested while positioning himself behind the wheel.

"We aren't leaving him behind. Drive to the temple, we'll get him on the way." Like she said, Murray followed her commands driving to the entrance.

"I don't see him." Murray had his head out of the window trying to find his green friend.

"Don't stop moving!" Sam commanded him, opening the back door. Murray kept the van going still not sure where his friend was. The sirens and lights were starting to come closer. Sighing in desperation she readied herself to go look for the turtle. She stopped when she saw a green figure dash through the front doors. A guard in tow, not looking all too happy. "Come back here, you liar!"

"Murray get ready we'll need to get out of here quickly!" She grabbed onto the side, leaning out of the back she held her hand open for Bentley to grab. "Faster, Bentley!" She shouted trying to get him to move quicker.

"I'm going as fast as possible!" He shouted, getting in range of the van, he threw the crossbow into the back giving him more room to move.

Sam saw that the guard gaining on him. "You need to jump!"

"Why?!" The turtle kept running trying to keep up with the van.

She only motioned for him to look behind him. Speeding up when he saw the angry rat following him. He started reaching out trying to touch her hand. Seeing that he came no closer he took the risk and jumped.

When he felt himself being tugged inside the van he let out a sigh of relief happy that he made it.

"Murray GO!" Sam shouted while closing the doors. The van started to gain speed at her words. "So did you get it?"

Opening his eyes, he couldn't stop a smile from showing. Showing her the papers, she slumped down against the wall. Happy it was finally over.

"Could somebody untie me?" They both looked over to see Sly smiling at them, fully back to his normal self.

* * *

Carmelita couldn't stop her frustration from showing, finally getting a good tip on the Cooper gang's location she arrived too late with no sign of they were ever here.

At least one good thing came from it. "Gwet your hwands of me." Currently, ten police officers were carrying Mz. Ruby into an ambulance. They had found her right in her office unable to move, like an early Christmas present.

It was good, but it wasn't Sly Cooper.

"Inspector?" One of the rookie cops approached her, a rat covered in mud, in tow. "We have found something that might interest you."

"What is it?"

The cop pushed the rat forward, "Tell her what you told me?"

"W-well, I got stuck in the mud. I was screaming for an hour, afraid I would die there. Already seeing my life flash before my eyes. Thinking about my mama's cooking." The rat started rambling.

"Is this going anywhere." Carmelita started too lose her patience.

The rat gulped under her gaze. "W-well I just told your colleague how a raccoon could have saved me but left me to die."

She marched off to a police van grabbing a paper. "Did he look like this." She showed him a wanted photo of Sly Cooper.

"Yeah, that's the guy. He and the wolf just left me there."

"What do you mean, wolf? Are you sure about that?"

"I'm pretty sure, she was the one who pushed me further down." He stated full convention.

"Thanks." She motioned for them to take him away. She needed to think this over. Last time she checked the Cooper gang had no wolf. It could only mean one thing. The Cooper gang was expanding.

* * *

That's a wrap on the vicious voodoo level. Next up a moment to breath.

 **Leave a review, so I know you are enjoying the story, what I can improve or just tell me what you think about it.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Fruity cocktails and flamingo's**

* * *

"Here's your drink, sir." A pink colored cocktail was held in front of his face. Pushing his sunglasses down he took a good look at the waitress.

Taking the beverage, he made sure to give her his most dazzling smile. "Thank you.".

"No problem, Sir." She hid her face behind the tray, hoping he hadn't seen her blush. "If there's anything else, let me know." With that, she left Sly and Bentley alone.

This was the life, sun, sea, and beach. After he had woken up in the van, his friends explained everything. From how Sam and Murray tried to snap him out of the voodoo spell to Bentley defeating Mz. Ruby. Hearing this made him feel conflicted, at one hand he was disappointed in himself, seeing how easily he was manipulated by Mz. Ruby. On the other hand, he was proud to see that his gang could stand on their own. Without them, he couldn't imagine what would have happened.

After they finally made it out of the Haitian jungle they decided it was time for some well-deserved vacation. They found this little beachside hotel, where they were staying for the last couple of days.

Every one of them decided to relax his own way. He opted to read through the pages of Slytunkhamen Cooper. Learning his technique to become invisible.

Bentley had decided to join him and enjoy the beach, not without his laptop, of course, he would never leave that one alone.

From what Sly had heard, he was the proudest of Bentley. Knowing that the turtle hadn't had any experience in the field, and still got his courage together to not only to confront Mz. Ruby but also to get the page back from her. Maybe it sounded cheesy but it filled his heart with pride that his friend would do that for him. Not only Bentley, but all of them.

While Bentley and he had decided to enjoy the sun, Sam had dragged Murray to a wrestling match. She went on about making a fighter out of Murray. He didn't believe that it would make the squeamish hippo any braver, still, it wouldn't hurt if she managed it.

Taking a sip of his drink, he let the fruity taste enter his mouth, yes this was the life. Putting his drink down he made his way closer to Bentley, interested in what his friend was doing. Throwing a look over his shoulder, the screen was filled with headlines. 'Village terrorized by PANDA KING.', 'Authorities unable to reach remote hideout. Villagers left on their own.', 'Self-proclaimed PANDA KING spits in law enforcement face.'.

"Already planning the next job?" Bentley jumped up a little, surprised by Sly's voice getting so close.

"Don't sneak up on me like that. Do you want me to get a heart attack." He complained, no real malice in his voice.

"The great Bentley turtle, slayer of crocodiles. Defeated by his weak heart?" Sly laughed, pain erupting from his ribs. A reminder to never anger Sam for real.

"Laugh all you want, I preferer the safety of our hideout over going toe to toe with an oversized lizard." Bentley turned back to his screen, hoping Sly would drop the subject. The sooner he forgot about Mz. Ruby and what she did the better. Even if he needed to throw himself into his work.

Sly noticed the edge in Bentley's voice, understanding he didn't want to go further into it. He decided to drop it, for now, hoping that with time Bentley would come to him whenever he felt like talking about it. "So China's our next stop?"

"Yeah, the Panda King hasn't stayed still while we went after the associates." Bentley moved the screen so Sly could see more. "He took over a little village in the mountains of China, through the snowfall the authorities can't reach it. This is good and bad news, it keeps them from interfering with our plans."

"Too bad, Carmelita makes everything a little bit more exciting," Sly smirked at his unimpressed friend.

"While you prefer to being chased by Inspector Fox, I would like not to end up in prison. And even then she isn't our worst problem, while the cops can't get to him, we aren't better off. Our van can't get over the snowed over roads, and if we tried to go on foot we would take at least three weeks, at which time our time advantage would be wasted."

"There needs to be a way? Can't we add a snow plow to the van and plow our way through?" Sly suggested hoping to bring his friend to an idea.

"We could, but it would attract too much attention, and we would open the way for the cops to follow us." Bentley started to type away on his laptop. "The only way inside is by air." A satellite image appeared of the village. "I can retrofit our van with parachutes big enough for us to land safely in this opening, It's far enough from the village so we should go unnoticed, and we would surpass the blockage."

"That's settled then we airdrop right in." Sly's enthusiasm didn't last long taking a look at Bentley's serious face. "What's the catch?"

"We don't have an airplane big enough to carry the van. And even then none of us three can fly."

Sly started thinking. A smile appearing on his face. "A couple of kilometers from here is an airport, I think we could check if they have a plane we could borrow for the moment. And for flying, Murray can drive the van how much more difficult would it be to fly?"

"We could always ask Sam." Bentley proposed

* * *

"That was amazing, did you see how El Toro did that suplex." Sam came jumping out of the arena, Murray in tow. They were a weird sight to all the bystanders. She was wearing a red luchadores mask, jumping in the air, while Murray wore a t-shirt depicting a muscular bull wearing a red spandex with a yellow T on it under it read 'El Toro'. Both of them were carrying little red flags with the yellow T.

"So what did you think of your first wrestle match." She looked over to her friend.

"It was a little violent." She kept staring at him, waiting for him to tell what he really thought. If his cheering and shouting was any indication, she thought he had an amazing time. "And I had fun."

"Good, next time we should go see The jawbreaker. He was popular in the 80's, but last I heard he was making a comeback." Murray only nodded at her excitement. He had never thought he would have so much fun watching people hurt each other. He could never do it himself, still, he appreciated the effort Sam was going through for him.

On the way back to the hotel, Sam kept going on about different wrestlers they definitely should see and all the reasons why they were awesome. Murray just kept nodding and try to add sometimes his own input, having never heard any of the names.

Entering their room, she didn't notice Murray stopping in the doorway. "I was there when the boulder defeated the gravedigger for the first time, it was amazing." She kept gushing, realizing that Murray wasn't following her. Turning around she noticed that Sly and Bentley had already packed their bags.

"Sorry to say this but we are leaving." Sly pushed their bags in their arms. "We have a plane to catch."

"What plane? Where are we going?" Sam questions landed on deaf ears, only to be dragged along to the van.

Before she knew it they were back on the road, Murray following the directions that Bentley was giving him. While Sly was looking over a blueprint.

"You can fly a plane right? He looked up from his plan, waiting for her to answer.

"Yes," She answered his question still confused why they were rushed like this. "Can someone finally answer me what's going on?"

"Like I said we need to catch a plane. If Bentley's information is correct."

"It is."

"A plane should be waiting for us. The guard patrols should switch in half an hour. So that gives us plenty of time to get there, go get the keys and take off." Sly brought the plans back over his nose.

"Wait, wait are we going to hijack a plane?" Sam finally started to realize why they needed to know if she could pilot a plane. "You want me to hijack a plane?"

"Don't think of it as a hijacking. We are just borrowing the plane. Just an empty plane." Sly assured her.

"Even if I say yes, it has been a couple of years since I have a flown. I probably have forgotten how to do it." Sam tried to make Sly understand it wouldn't be a good idea to let her pilot it. "Besides who says I want to come."

Her last question brought everything to halt. Bentley looked awkwardly at Sly, before shifting his focus back on the road.

"You don't want to come anymore?" Sly asked in concern in his voice, feeling like a jackass not even taking the time to ask, if she still wanted to join them. Especially after what happened on the last job.

"Don't worry about it. Just what's the plan?" Sam changed the topic. Feeling bad for making them worry about her.

"You'll see, it will be fun." Sly tried to lighten the mood, putting in the back of his mind to talk to her later.

Right on cue, the van slowed down. "We are here," Murray announced to Sly. Sly opened the door sprinting right into the night, leaving the other three in an awkward silence waiting for him to come back.

* * *

It didn't take long for him to return. This time fully dressed in a military uniform, opening the giant gates, so that the van could drive right into the airfield.

Seeing Sly's uniform Sam started to get a little worried. "Murray? What for airfield is this?"

"The Haitian military airfield." Slowing down a little so Sly could jump back in.

"The plane is in the last hangar, on the right." Sly gave the directions to Murray, rummaging through a bag that he had been carrying.

"We're stealing from the military?" Sam hoped he would deny it. She couldn't become a war criminal.

"Yes, put this on." He pushed another uniform in her hands.

"No, this is going too far. Stealing from other criminals I agree with." Sam pushed the clothes back. "But I'm not stealing from the government."

"Good thing then that we are not stealing from the government then. Put it on and explain later" Sly pushed the clothes back, moving a little back so she couldn't give them back.

Without further arguing, she listened to him and started to unfold the clothes. It was a dark green overall accompanied with combat boots.

"Every year the army intercepts multiple drug couriers. The drugs they intercept gets burned in these massive furnaces." Sly explained while she pulled the overall right over her clothes.

The van started to slow down again, this time they stopped right in front of a hangar. Sly opened the van, signaling her to follow him. "The problem is they can't do that with the vehicles." He led her right inside the building. Once her eyes adjusted. She came eye to eye with a small neon pink transport plane, big enough to carry a three pallets full of packages or a middle-sized van. The most bizarre thing was the painted flamingo head on the front.

Sly pushed a button next to the big doors opening them for Murray to drive the vehicle inside. "Most of the vehicles they reuse or sell, but some are just too bizarre so they are stored away. Forgotten with as the only goal to catch dust."

"This is all good and well, we are still stealing from the army. If they find out we have done this they will hunt us down." Sam tried to make Sly realize this was a bad idea, but the raccoon ignored her again.

"Don't worry about that. This building has been abandoned a long time ago. Nobody has come here in the last couple of months." He tried to convince her. "Trust me, nobody will miss the flamingo. It just sitting here decaying under the rust and dust."

Sly held a pilot's headphones and keys in front of her. "Please, your the only one who can do this. You don't want us to crash after a couple of meters do you?"

Sam watched wearily at the objects in his hand, after a couple seconds she let out a sigh and grabbed them. "Fine, just get the van loaded in. I'll see if this thing is still fly worthy."

Entering the airplane, she waded her way through the spiderwebs, to the cockpit. Setting herself down she started to put in the keys bringing the metallic bird to life. The dials lighted up through the centimeters of dust. Finding the cargo bay door controls she flipped it opening them for Murray to drive the van in.

While he was doing that, she continued checking if everything still worked. Wiping away the filth she made sure they had enough fuel to make the trip.

After a while, Sly plopped down next to her in the copilot chair. "The van is strapped down, how's it going here?"

"I think this flamingo is as fly-worthy as she can ever be. If you're ready we can leave." To prove her point she started the engines. With a lot of sputter and smoke, the two propellers on the side slowly came to life.

"Let's leave then." Sly gave the signal everything was alright to Murray and Bentley. Both of them positioned themselves behind the pilot's seat, making sure their belts were properly fastened.

Sam moved the stick forward, making the plane taxi out of the building to the airstrip. When suddenly the radio crackled to life. "FLM-019 this is control tower, we haven't you scheduled you for takeoff. Please give your reason or turn back."

Panicked Sly looked to his friends not really knowing how to react. He hadn't expected anyone to be in the tower at this moment or even then see them taxi through the airfield. On second thought it was to be expected with the pink nightmare they were currently in.

Before any of them could react, Sam activated her microphone. "This is FLM-019, we have got a distress call of for a 1954-D10, 10 clicks to the north of our current position. Due to shortages of other aircraft, it was necessary to commandeer this vehicle for the mission." Sam answered without hesitation still focusing on positioning the airplane correctly.

"Understood, FLM-019, you are not allowed to leave, until I have confirmed this with my superiors." The man answered from the other side.

"Understood, FLM-019 out." Sam taxied further t the start of the strip readying herself for takeoff. Waiting for the command to give permission for them to leave. Sly looked a little bit more worried than usual. He was impressed with how she handled the situation still he was not so sure it would work, they would need to be very lucky if there was currently an emergency going on. A small part of him wanted to shout for her to just floor it and take off. But the rational part realized they wouldn't it make to the ocean or they had fighter jets behind them.

"FLM-019, this is control tower." The radio sprang back to life, everyone holding their breath waiting for the man to continue. "Your cleared for takeoff, have a safe journey."

Without answering back Sam pushed the throttle down, making the bird gain speed. Starting to go down the airstrip they went faster and faster until their wheels were off the ground.

"And we are in the air gentlemen." She announced in a trademark pilot voice, not able to stop herself from smiling in relief. "We are currently on our way to China, we will be there in approximately 14 hours. We have to announce sadly that we don't have any refreshments left. Still, I hope you enjoy your flight and choose again for paradise flights."

The relief could be felt throughout the whole cabin, "How did you do that." Sly still couldn't believe her mumbo-jumbo worked.

"Simple, just know a little flight jargon and a whole lot of confidence." She kept her eyes on the sky, making sure they got to a good altitude.

He didn't expect that, he thought at least some of it would have been true. He just smiled at her happy that she had decided to join them.

"You probably should take a nap, it's going to be a long flight." Sam didn't take her eyes from the sky, making sure they stayed on course.

"Do you want to go back?"

She looked surprised at his question not sure what he was talking about. "What?"

"You said you weren't sure you wanted to come anymore. If you want to go home, we could bring you back."

Sam looked in thought thinking what to answer. "Maybe, I don't know. I'm still getting used to the life as a master class thief." the Steering wheel started to creak under pressure of her fists. "But I can't stop now, knowing that I'm so close to finding out the truth. I can't go back now." She turned to Sly, confidence burning in her eyes.

Sly placed his hand on his shoulder. "Know that we are there with you all the way. Just like you have helped us, me. We'll help you whatever it takes."

With those words he left her alone, going to find a sleeping place, hoping she got the sincerity behind them.

* * *

"Everybody strapped in?"Sly tugged everyone's belt one last time making sure they were strapped in properly. He didn't want to lose them on the way down.

"Are you sure we can't do this any other way." Sam grasped her straps tight not feeling comfortable having left the pilot seat.

"Don't worry Bentley has figured it all out. We should be fine." Sly tried to reassure her "Besides it's going to be fun."

Sam didn't feel convinced by his words, the airplane doors already opening. "What if the parachutes won't hold."

"WHAT!" Sly screamed above the howling wind going through the cargo hold.

"What if the parachutes won't hold." She tried again.

"WHY WOULD WE NEED LUTES?"

"NO WHAT IF…" She couldn't finish her sentence when the van sprang to life and made it's way to the plane ramp.

"Here we go, guys." Murray tried to sound as confident as possible.

With one last push, the ground beneath there wheels was gone and they plunged down right into the dark night sky.

From the outside, the van looked like it was falling gracefully without any problem. On the inside, the passengers were trying to hold their food in while battling gravity to try and stay on their seat. Bentley looked even greener than usually already regretting proposing this idea to Sly.

Sam could hear the belts strain under the pressure. Praying to god, Murray would pull the parachutes on time. To her relief the gods listened, the pull stopped when Murray pulled a lever deploying the parachutes, slowing down their descent.

With a shock and a little tumble, they landed right on their wheels. Bentley was the first one out emptying his stomach contents as soon as he was outside. Murray followed him, rubbing his back trying to relieve the pain a little.

Sly opened the back doors, giving her a view outside.

"Wow." She stepped outside, feeling the magnificent cold of the snow going right through her boots. "Snow, it's snow." She giggled like a little school girl dropping down in the snow she started making snow angels.

Her friends looked at her weird behavior, seeing her really laugh for the first time since they met.

Instead of staring at her Sly decided to follow her lead not wanting her as only one to have fun. It didn't take long before Murray and Bentley followed their friends, All four of them playing in the snow like little school children.

* * *

Right at that moment, a plane landed, in Port-Au-Prince. Between the tourists was one eagle who stood out, wearing a beautiful suit, an expensive Rolex and a worried look on his face.

He grabbed his phone from out of his pocket redialing the same number he had been trying for the past couple of hours. Holding it to his ear he heard the disconnection message again. "Where are you, Samantha."

Looking at his phone screen, he scrolled through his contacts. Holding the device again to his ear, he waited for the horn to go over. This time another voice could be heard on the other side. "Yeah."

"Have you found any sign of her?" He looked around the crowd hoping he would spot her somewhere. "Fine let me know if you hear anything understood." With that, he ended the call and started looking for flights back to London.

* * *

 **Leave a review, so I know you are enjoying the story, what I can improve or just tell me what you think about it.**


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